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Wednesday, 11 November 2026 Judgments, law jobs and study notes, written by a practising advocate
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter I: Preliminary

Section 1 BNS: Short title, commencement and application

Corresponding IPC
Section 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 IPC
Note
Adds that the Sanhita applies to persons abroad committing offences targeting a computer resource located in India; commencement clause adapted to staggered notification.

Bare Act text

(1) This Act may be called the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

(2) It shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint, and different dates may be appointed for different provisions of this Sanhita.

(3) Every person shall be liable to punishment under this Sanhita and not otherwise for every act or omission contrary to the provisions thereof, of which he shall be guilty within India.

(4) Any person liable, by any law for the time being in force in India, to be tried for an offence committed beyond India shall be dealt with according to the provisions of this Sanhita for any act committed beyond India in the same manner as if such act had been committed within India.

(5) The provisions of this Sanhita shall also apply to any offence committed by—

(a) any citizen of India in any place without and beyond India;

(b) any person on any ship or aircraft registered in India wherever it may be;

(c) any person in any place without and beyond India committing offence targeting a computer resource located in India.

Explanation.—In this section, the word “offence” includes every act committed outside India which, if committed in India, would be punishable under this Sanhita.

Illustration. A, who is a citizen of India, commits a murder in any place without and beyond India. He can be tried and convicted of murder in any place in India in which he may be found.

(6) Nothing in this Sanhita shall affect the provisions of any Act for punishing mutiny and desertion of officers, soldiers, sailors or airmen in the service of the Government of India or the provisions of any special or local law.

Text as enacted in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (Act No. 45 of 2023), in force from 1 July 2024. Source: India Code, Government of India.

In simple words

Gives the short title, allows different provisions to be brought into force on different dates, and makes persons punishable only under this Sanhita for acts within India. It extends to extra-territorial offences by Indian citizens, offences on Indian-registered ships or aircraft, and offences abroad targeting computer resources in India. It saves special laws and military discipline laws.

Chapter I: Preliminary

  1. 1 Short title, commencement and application
  2. 2 Definitions
  3. 3 General explanations