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Wednesday, 11 November 2026 Judgments, law jobs and study notes, written by a practising advocate
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter XXIX: The Judgment

Section 394 BNSS: Order for notifying address of previously convicted offender

Corresponding CrPC
Section 356 CrPC

Bare Act text

(1) When any person, having been convicted by a Court in India of an offence punishable with imprisonment for a term of three years, or upwards, is again convicted of any offence punishable with imprisonment for a term of three years or upwards by any Court other than that of a Magistrate of the second class, such Court may, if it thinks fit, at the time of passing a sentence of imprisonment on such person, also order that his residence and any change of, or absence from, such residence after release be notified as hereinafter provided for a term not exceeding five years from the date of the expiration of such sentence.

(2) The provisions of sub-section (1) shall also apply to criminal conspiracies to commit such offences and to the abetment of such offences and attempts to commit them.

(3) If such conviction is set aside on appeal or otherwise, such order shall become void.

(4) An order under this section may also be made by an Appellate Court or by the High Court or Court of Session when exercising its powers of revision.

(5) The State Government may, by notification, make rules to carry out the provisions of this section relating to the notification of residence or change of, or absence from, residence by released convicts.

(6) Such rules may provide for punishment for the breach thereof and any person charged with a breach of any such rule may be tried by a Magistrate of competent jurisdiction in the district in which the place last notified by him as his place of residence is situated.

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

Where a person convicted by a Court in India of an offence punishable with imprisonment of three years or more is again convicted of such an offence by a Court other than a second class Magistrate, the Court may, when passing sentence, also order him to notify his residence and any change of residence after release. The section sets out the duration, rules and consequences of non-compliance.

Chapter XXIX: The Judgment

  1. 392 Judgment
  2. 393 Language and contents of judgment
  3. 394 Order for notifying address of previously convicted offender
  4. 395 Order to pay compensation
  5. 396 Victim compensation scheme
  6. 397 Treatment of victims
  7. 398 Witness protection scheme
  8. 399 Compensation to persons groundlessly arrested
  9. 400 Order to pay costs in non-cognizable cases
  10. 401 Order to release on probation of good conduct or after admonition
  11. 402 Special reasons to be recorded in certain cases
  12. 403 Court not to alter judgment
  13. 404 Copy of judgment to be given to accused and other persons
  14. 405 Judgment when to be translated
  15. 406 Court of Session to send copy of finding and sentence to District Magistrate