The New Criminal Laws (BNS, BNSS, BSA): What Changed and When They Took Effect (2026)

Explainer · New Criminal Laws · BNS, BNSS, BSA

Updated for 2026 · Claw Editorial

On 1 July 2024, India changed the core of its criminal law in a single day. The Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, and the Indian Evidence Act were replaced by three new codes, so a lawyer, a police officer, or a litigant now has to work with two systems at once: the old law for old cases, and the new law for new ones. This overview explains what the three new criminal laws are, what they replaced, when they took effect, and the main things that changed. Last verified October 2026.

01The problem: two systems running at once

The hard part of the 2024 reform is not that the law changed. It is that, for years to come, both the old and the new law are live at the same time.

An offence committed before 1 July 2024 is still charged and tried under the old Indian Penal Code, the old Code of Criminal Procedure, and the old Indian Evidence Act. An offence committed on or after that date is charged under the new codes. So a single lawyer may run one trial under IPC Section 302 and another under BNS Section 103 in the same week, with different section numbers for the same crime.

This creates three practical problems. First, section numbers that every practitioner knew by heart, like 302, 420, or 498A, now point to different numbers. Second, the forms, notices, and FIRs look different. Third, when you search for case law, you have to search by both the old and the new section to find everything on point. For the transition rule in full, see will old IPC and CrPC cases continue.

02What the three new criminal laws are

The three new criminal laws are the BNS, the BNSS, and the BSA. Each one replaced a colonial-era Act that had run for over a century.

In short: BNS tells you what is a crime, BNSS tells you how the case moves, and BSA tells you how facts are proved in court. The three work together, just as the IPC, CrPC and Evidence Act did.

03When they took effect

All three laws came into force on 1 July 2024. The date is the dividing line for the whole system. Parliament passed the three Acts in December 2023, and the Central Government later notified 1 July 2024 as the commencement date.

One part of the BNS did not start on that date. The offence of hit-and-run, under the death-by-negligence provision, was held back after protests, so the second part of that section was not brought into force with the rest. For the detail, see death by negligence under BNS Section 106.

04BNS: the new penal code

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 replaced the Indian Penal Code, 1860. It has 358 sections. The old IPC had around 511 sections, so the new code is shorter and renumbered.

Most well-known offences carry over, but the numbers change. Murder moves from IPC 302 to BNS Section 103. Cheating moves from IPC 420 to BNS Section 318. Cruelty by a husband or relatives, the old 498A, becomes BNS Section 85. Rape moves to BNS Sections 63 and 64.

The BNS also adds new offences and tools. It brings in organised crime and terrorism as general offences, a standalone offence of snatching, mob lynching as a named form of murder, and community service as a punishment for some minor offences. Sedition, the old IPC 124A, was repealed and replaced by a different offence about acts endangering the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India, now BNS Section 152. For a full side-by-side, see BNS vs IPC key changes.

05BNSS: the new procedure code

The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 replaced the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. It governs how a criminal case runs, from the FIR to the appeal. It has 531 sections.

The FIR provision moves from CrPC 154 to BNSS Section 173, and now expressly allows a zero FIR and electronic filing. Arrest without warrant moves from CrPC 41 to BNSS Section 35. Remand and default bail move from CrPC 167 to BNSS Section 187. Anticipatory bail moves from CrPC 438 to BNSS Section 482. The High Court inherent power to quash, the old CrPC 482, is now BNSS Section 528.

The BNSS also pushes the system toward technology and fixed timelines. It makes video recording of searches and some statements routine, requires forensic examination for serious offences, and sets time limits for steps like filing the chargesheet and pronouncing judgment. For the full picture, see BNSS vs CrPC key changes.

06BSA: the new evidence law

The Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 replaced the Indian Evidence Act, 1872. It has 170 sections. Much of the structure is familiar, but electronic evidence is now built into the core of the law rather than bolted on.

Admissibility of electronic records, the old Evidence Act 65B, moves to BSA Section 63, with a certificate requirement that now expects a hash value. The dying declaration and related statements, the old Section 32, become BSA Section 26. Expert opinion, the old Section 45, becomes BSA Section 39. The thirty-year-old document presumption, the old Section 90, is now in the presumptions-as-to-documents group. For the comparison, see BSA vs the Indian Evidence Act and presumptions as to documents under the BSA.

07The headline changes to know

If you remember only a few things about the reform, remember these.

• Everything is renumbered. The crime is usually the same, but the section is different. Use a IPC to BNS converter until the new numbers are second nature.
• Technology is built in. Electronic FIRs, video recording, forensic visits for serious crimes, and electronic evidence are part of the default process now, not exceptions.
• Timelines are tighter. The BNSS sets deadlines for several steps, with the aim of faster trials.
• New offences exist. Organised crime, terrorism, snatching, and mob lynching are now named offences in the BNS.
• Old cases continue under old law. The change is not retrospective. See will old IPC and CrPC cases continue.

The crime is usually the same. It is the section number, the procedure, and the paperwork that changed on 1 July 2024.

08Where 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.

During a transition like this, the daily pain is practical. You need case law under both the old section and the new one, and you need to track matters that may be filed under either regime. Claw helps with both. You can search 30 crore+ judgments by section, party or advocate, with results in under 5 seconds, and you can track live cases across 9,102 courts, benches and forums with automatic updates, cause lists, and WhatsApp and email alerts. So you can look up IPC 302 and BNS 103 together, and never miss a hearing while the system settles into the new codes.

Claw does not give legal advice and does not use customer case documents to train AI models. To see how search works across the court system, read case search across Indian courts.

09Sources and further reading

• Ministry of Home Affairs: mha.gov.in
• Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (India Code): indiacode.nic.in
• Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (India Code): indiacode.nic.in
• Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (India Code): indiacode.nic.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 for any specific case.

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