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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 XXXI: Appeals

Section 433 BNSS: Procedure where Judges of Court of appeal are equally divided

Corresponding CrPC
Section 392 CrPC

Bare Act text

When an appeal under this Chapter is heard by a High Court before a Bench of Judges and they are divided in opinion, the appeal, with their opinions, shall be laid before another Judge of that Court, and that Judge, after such hearing as he thinks fit, shall deliver his opinion, and the judgment or order shall follow that opinion:

Provided that if one of the Judges constituting the Bench, or, where the appeal is laid before another Judge under this section, that Judge, so requires, the appeal shall be re-heard and decided by a larger Bench of Judges.

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

When an appeal is heard by a High Court Bench whose Judges are divided in opinion, the appeal with their opinions is laid before another Judge, who delivers an opinion after hearing as he thinks fit. The judgment or order follows that opinion.

Chapter XXXI: Appeals

  1. 413 No appeal to lie unless otherwise provided
  2. 414 Appeal from orders requiring security or refusal to accept or rejecting surety for keeping peace or good behavior
  3. 415 Appeals from convictions
  4. 416 No appeal in certain cases when accused pleads guilty
  5. 417 No appeal in petty cases
  6. 418 Appeal by State Government against sentence
  7. 419 Appeal in case of acquittal
  8. 420 Appeal against conviction by High Court in certain cases
  9. 421 Special right of appeal in certain cases
  10. 422 Appeal to Court of Session how heard
  11. 423 Petition of appeal
  12. 424 Procedure when appellant in jail
  13. 425 Summary dismissal of appeal
  14. 426 Procedure for hearing appeals not dismissed summarily
  15. 427 Powers of Appellate Court
  16. 428 Judgments of subordinate Appellate Court
  17. 429 Order of High Court on appeal to be certified to lower Court
  18. 430 Suspension of sentence pending appeal; release of appellant on bail
  19. 431 Arrest of accused in appeal from acquittal
  20. 432 Appellate Court may take further evidence or direct it to be taken
  21. 433 Procedure where Judges of Court of appeal are equally divided
  22. 434 Finality of judgments and orders on appeal
  23. 435 Abatement of appeals
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