BNS Section 129: Criminal Force, the Definition (IPC 350 Mapping) (2026)

Explainer · Criminal Law · BNS

Updated for 2026 · Claw Editorial

Criminal force is defined in Section 129 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the new criminal code in force since 1 July 2024. Section 129 replaced Section 350 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). It sets out what criminal force is, but it does not fix a punishment on its own. The punishment for assault or criminal force sits in Section 131 of the BNS. If you still look up "section 350 IPC", this is the provision you now need. This explainer sets out what Section 129 covers, how it maps to the old law, how it differs from assault, and where the punishment sits. Last verified October 2026.

01Why the section number matters now

"Criminal force" was defined in Section 350 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Since 1 July 2024 the IPC is replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), and the definition now sits in Section 129.

This matters in practice. An FIR for an offence committed on or after 1 July 2024 is registered under the BNS, so it reads with Section 129, not Section 350. An older case keeps its IPC number, because the law that applies is the law on the date of the offence. So for a while you will see both numbers in live matters.

02What Section 129 covers

Section 129 of the BNS defines criminal force. A person uses criminal force when they intentionally use force on another person, without that person's consent, in order to commit an offence, or intending or knowing it to be likely that the force will cause injury, fear or annoyance to the person to whom it is applied.

This is a building-block definition. It does not set a sentence. It supplies the meaning of "criminal force" that several other offences in the code use, such as the punishing section and the aggravated assault offences.

03Force, criminal force and assault

The code separates three related ideas, and it helps to keep them apart:

• Force: the basic idea of causing motion or change of motion to another, defined just before this section.
• Criminal force (Section 129): force used without consent, to commit an offence or intending or knowing it likely to cause injury, fear or annoyance. Actual contact or application of force is involved.
• Assault (Section 130): a gesture or preparation that makes a person present fear that criminal force is about to be used. Mere words are not an assault, though words can give a gesture its meaning.

So criminal force involves applying force, while assault can be only a threatening gesture. Both carry the same punishment under Section 131 when there is no grave and sudden provocation.

04Old to new: IPC 350 to BNS 129

Section 350 of the IPC is now Section 129 of the BNS. The definition is carried over in substance.

Note one common error. Some lists treat "Section 129" as the punishment for assault or criminal force (old Sections 351 and 352). That is not quite right. Section 129 is only the definition of criminal force (old Section 350). Assault is Section 130, and the punishment is Section 131.

05Classification and where the punishment sits

Section 129 sets no punishment by itself, because it is only the definition. The sentence is found in the offence that uses criminal force.

• For assault or criminal force otherwise than on grave and sudden provocation, the punishment is in Section 131 of the BNS: imprisonment of either description for up to three months, or a fine, or both.
• Aggravated forms, such as assault or criminal force with intent to dishonour a person, are dealt with in later sections like Section 133.

Because Section 129 is a definition, questions of cognizable, bailable and triable status attach to the punishing section that applies to the facts, not to Section 129 itself. Check the First Schedule of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) for the charge in a given case.

06What changed from the old law

For the definition of criminal force, the change is mostly the number. The meaning is carried forward, so case law under Section 350 of the IPC still guides how Section 129 of the BNS is read.

The thing to get right is the structure. Section 129 defines criminal force; Section 130 defines assault; Section 131 punishes both where there is no grave and sudden provocation. This is general information, not legal advice, so check the current text and take advice from counsel before you act.

07Where Claw fits

Claw is an all-in-one legaltech platform for Indian advocates, law firms, and corporate legal teams, combining AI-based case search, an AI legal assistant (Legal GPT), case management, and compliance automation across all Indian courts and tribunals.

Assault and criminal force are among the commonest charges in trial courts, and how a court reads the definition often decides the case. Claw lets you see how criminal force has been treated under the new Section 129 and the old Section 350, searching more than 30 crore judgments by party or advocate with answers in under 5 seconds, and reaching back through High Court rulings to 1990 and Supreme Court rulings to 1950. For a live matter, it follows the cases, orders and hearings across 9,102 courts, benches and forums.

Claw does not use customer case documents to train its AI models, so the papers you bring in an assault matter stay yours. Open a free Claw account to search and follow these cases by party or advocate name. To search more broadly, see case search across Indian courts.

08Sources and further reading

• India Code (official text of the BNS, 2023): indiacode.nic.in
• PRS Legislative Research (BNS overview and IPC comparison): prsindia.org
• Section 129, BNS (bare text): devgan.in
• Claw: clawlaw.in

This explainer is general information, not legal advice. The law changes through amendments and judgments, so check the current text and take advice from counsel before you act.

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