Criminal
Three new criminal codes replaced the colonial statutes in July 2024
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam came into force on 1 July 2024, replacing the 1860 Penal Code, 1973 CrPC and 1872 Evidence Act.
Key rules
- Deadline — Charge sheet within 60 or 90 days of arrest depending on offence gravity
- Deadline — Production before a magistrate within 24 hours of arrest
- Deadline — Forensic examination mandatory for offences carrying seven years or more
Governing law
- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
- Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
- Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023
- Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967
- Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002
In practice
Offences committed before 1 July 2024 are still tried under the old codes, so both regimes run in parallel for years — identifying the date of the offence is now the first step in any Indian criminal matter. The BNS renumbered nearly everything, added organised crime and terrorism offences into the general code, and replaced sedition with a differently framed offence against the sovereignty of India. The BNSS introduces timelines for judgment and permits trial in absentia for proclaimed absconders.