Short title, commencement and application

Q: When did Section 1 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita come into force?

Section 1 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, cited as BNS 1, came into force on 01 Jul 2024, having been enacted on 25 Dec 2023. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.

In force From 01 Jul 2024 Act 45 of 2023 As on 15 Oct 2026

Act 45 of 2023 Ministry Home Affairs Enacted 25 Dec 2023 In force 01 Jul 2024

Section 1 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 deals with short title, commencement and application. This Act may be called the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The Act came into force on 01 Jul 2024.

(1) This Act may be called the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
(2) It shall come into force on such date¹ as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint, and different dates may be appointed for different provisions of this Sanhita.
(3) Every person shall be liable to punishment under this Sanhita and not otherwise for every act or omission contrary to the provisions thereof, of which he shall be guilty within India.
(4) Any person liable, by any law for the time being in force in India, to be tried for an offence committed beyond India shall be dealt with according to the provisions of this Sanhita for any act committed beyond India in the same manner as if such act had been committed within India.
(5) The provisions of this Sanhita shall also apply to any offence committed by--
(a) any citizen of India in any place without and beyond India;
(b) any person on any ship or aircraft registered in India wherever it may be;
(c) any person in any place without and beyond India committing offence targeting a computer resource located in India.
Explanation.--In this section, the word "offence" includes every act committed outside India which, if committed in India, would be punishable under this Sanhita.
Illustration.
A, who is a citizen of India, commits a murder in any place without and beyond India.
He can be tried and convicted of murder in any place in India in which he may be found.
(6) Nothing in this Sanhita shall affect the provisions of any Act for punishing mutiny and desertion of officers, soldiers, sailors or airmen in the service of the Government of India or the provisions of any special or local law.
Section 1, The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (Act 45 of 2023).

Replaces a provision of the Indian Penal Code

IPC 2 Punishment of offences committed within India Close, with changes 70%

Measured by comparing the text of the two provisions, not taken from an official correspondence table — there is no machine-readable one. See both texts side by side before relying on it.

Both regimes are live. The repealed enactment still governs what happened while it was in force. We never redirect one to the other.

Questions about Section 1

What does Section 1 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita deal with?

Section 1 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita is headed "Short title, commencement and application". This Act may be called the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

How do I find court cases under Section 1 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita?

In judgments and charge sheets this section is written several ways, and each form finds a different set of orders. These search the full text of every order eCourtsIndia holds, best matches first: BNS 1, section 1 BNS, section 1 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome.

What should I read with Section 1 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and has it changed?

It carries forward IPC 2 (Punishment of offences committed within India), so the judgments decided under that provision are the case law on this one.

When did Section 1 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita come into force?

Section 1 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, cited as BNS 1, came into force on 01 Jul 2024, having been enacted on 25 Dec 2023. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.

Other sections of this Act

Source and method. Compiled from the enactments of Parliament and of the State legislatures as published on India Code, and republished together with commentary and other original matter under section 52(1)(q)(ii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. Structured, cross-referenced and maintained by eCourtsIndia. Text as in force on 15 Oct 2026. This page is not a substitute for legal advice.