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Thursday, 12 November 2026 Judgments, law jobs and study notes, written by a practising advocate
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter XII: Preventive Action Of The Police

Section 172 BNSS: Persons bound to conform to lawful directions of police

Corresponding CrPC
Section 153 CrPC

Bare Act text

(1) All persons shall be bound to conform to the lawful directions of a police officer given in fulfilment of any of his duty under this Chapter.

(2) A police officer may detain or remove any person resisting, refusing, ignoring or disregarding to conform to any direction given by him under sub-section (1) and may either take such person before a Magistrate or, in petty cases, release him as soon as possible within a period of twenty-four hours.

Text as enacted in the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (Act No. 46 of 2023), in force from 1 July 2024. Source: India Code, Government of India.

In simple words

Binds all persons to conform to the lawful directions a police officer gives in fulfilment of duties under the Chapter. A police officer may detain or remove a person who resists or disregards such directions, and either take him before a Magistrate or, in petty cases, release him as soon as possible within twenty-four hours.

Chapter XII: Preventive Action Of The Police

  1. 168 Police to prevent cognizable offences
  2. 169 Information of design to commit cognizable offences
  3. 170 Arrest to prevent commission of cognizable offences
  4. 171 Prevention of injury to public property
  5. 172 Persons bound to conform to lawful directions of police