Power to direct levy of amount due on certain recognizances
Section 496 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 deals with power to direct levy of amount due on certain recognizances. The High Court or Court of Session may direct any Magistrate to levy the amount due on a bond for appearance or attendance at such High Court or Court of Session. The Act came into force on 01 Jul 2024.
The High Court or Court of Session may direct any Magistrate to levy the amount due on a bond for appearance or attendance at such High Court or Court of Session.
Section 496, The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (Act 46 of 2023).
Replaces a provision of the Code of Criminal Procedure
CRPC 450 Power to direct levy of amount due on certain recognizances Text carried over almost unchanged 95%
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 The repealed enactment still governs what happened while it was in force.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.
Related judgements & precedents
These are some judgments that construed this section, and hold precedence value. They hold authority on how to read, interpret and use this section.
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Nunavath Shankar vs The State of Telangana
Decided under Code of Criminal Procedure 450, which this section replaces. The court did not have this Act before it.
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
When an accused who has been granted bail fails to appear in court and a Non-Bailable Warrant is executed leading to remand to judicial custody, the bail order does not stand automatically cancelled. However, the bonds executed by sureties stand automatically cancelled under Chapter XXXIII Cr.P.C. upon non-appearance of the accused. The proper remedy for the accused to seek bail reinstatement is not to file fresh bail applications, but to file an application or memo before the trial court to pay the penalty of the bond earlier forfeited. Only after payment of such penalty can fresh solvency be entertained for bail reinstatement. The accused must follow this procedure under Chapter XXXIII Cr.P.C., particularly Sections 442 and 450, rather than repeatedly filing bail applications.
On this section: Governs enforcement of bond penalties
The holding above is the ratio decidendi as extracted from the judgment by eCourts India, reproduced unaltered — it is a rendering of the court's reasoning, not a substitute for its words. Read the order itself before relying on it.
Questions about Section 496
What have the courts held on Section 496 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita?
Nunavath Shankar vs The State of Telangana (22 Jul 2014) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below, though it was decided under CRPC 450, which this section replaced -- the court never mentioned this Act: Governs enforcement of bond penalties.
How do I find court cases under Section 496 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha 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: BNSS 496, section 496 BNSS, section 496 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. People searching for it also type bnss 478 to 496. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome. 1 reported judgment on this section is set out on this page, beginning with Nunavath Shankar vs The State of Telangana (22 Jul 2014).
What should I read with Section 496 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and has it changed?
It carries forward CrPC 450 (Power to direct levy of amount due on certain recognizances), so the judgments decided under that provision are the case law on this one.
When did Section 496 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita come into force?
Section 496 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, cited as BNSS 496, 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
- 359. Compounding of offences1355 words
- 187. Procedure when investigation cannot be completed in twenty-four hours1122 words
- 2. Definitions956 words
- 243. Trial for more than one offence930 words
- 35. When police may arrest without warrant881 words
- 480. When bail may be taken in case of non-bailable offence823 words
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 14 Oct 2026. This page is not a substitute for legal advice.