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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 XXXIV: Execution, Suspension, Remission And Commutation Of Sentences

Section 461 BNSS: Warrant for levy of fine

Corresponding CrPC
Section 421 CrPC

Bare Act text

(1) When an offender has been sentenced to pay a fine, but no such payment has been made, the Court passing the sentence may take action for the recovery of the fine in either or both of the following ways, that is to say, it may—

(a) issue a warrant for the levy of the amount by attachment and sale of any movable property belonging to the offender;

(b) issue a warrant to the Collector of the district, authorising him to realise the amount as arrears of land revenue from the movable or immovable property, or both, of the defaulter:

Provided that, if the sentence directs that in default of payment of the fine, the offender shall be imprisoned, and if such offender has undergone the whole of such imprisonment in default, no Court shall issue such warrant unless, for special reasons to be recorded in writing, it considers it necessary so to do, or unless it has made an order for the payment of expenses or compensation out of the fine under section 395.

(2) The State Government may make rules regulating the manner in which warrants under clause (a) of sub-section (1) are to be executed, and for the summary determination of any claims made by any person other than the offender in respect of any property attached in execution of such warrant.

(3) Where the Court issues a warrant to the Collector under clause (b) of sub-section (1), the Collector shall realise the amount in accordance with the law relating to recovery of arrears of land revenue, as if such warrant were a certificate issued under such law:

Provided that no such warrant shall be executed by the arrest or detention in prison of the offender.

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 offender sentenced to pay a fine has not paid it, the Court may issue a warrant to levy the amount by attachment and sale of his movable property, or a warrant to the Collector to realise it as arrears of land revenue from his movable or immovable property, or both. A proviso restricts issuing a warrant where the offender has already served the full imprisonment in default, except for special reasons.

Chapter XXXIV: Execution, Suspension, Remission And Commutation Of Sentences

  1. 453 Execution of order passed under section 409
  2. 454 Execution of sentence of death passed by High Court
  3. 455 Postponement of execution of sentence of death in case of appeal to Supreme Court
  4. 456 Commutation of sentence of death on pregnant woman
  5. 457 Power to appoint place of imprisonment
  6. 458 Execution of sentence of imprisonment
  7. 459 Direction of warrant for execution
  8. 460 Warrant with whom to be lodged
  9. 461 Warrant for levy of fine
  10. 462 Effect of such warrant
  11. 463 Warrant for levy of fine issued by a Court in any territory to which this Sanhita does not extend
  12. 464 Suspension of execution of sentence of imprisonment
  13. 465 Who may issue warrant
  14. 466 Sentence on escaped convict when to take effect
  15. 467 Sentence on offender already sentenced for another offence
  16. 468 Period of detention undergone by accused to be set off against sentence of imprisonment
  17. 469 Saving
  18. 470 Return of warrant on execution of sentence
  19. 471 Money ordered to be paid recoverable as a fine
  20. 472 Mercy petition in death sentence cases
  21. 473 Power to suspend or remit sentences
  22. 474 Power to commute sentence
  23. 475 Restriction on powers of remission or commutation in certain cases
  24. 476 Concurrent power of Central Government in case of death sentences
  25. 477 State Government to act after concurrence with Central Government in certain cases