BNS, BNSS & BSA: What the New Criminal Codes Mean for You
Adv. Vikram Sethi
Sr. Litigator
The 2023 codes replacing the IPC, CrPC and Evidence Act — and the practical changes that matter.
India has overhauled its criminal justice framework. Three new codes — the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) — now replace the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act respectively.
What each code governs
- BNS — defines offences and punishments (the former IPC).
- BNSS — procedure: arrest, investigation, bail and trial (the former CrPC).
- BSA — rules of evidence, including electronic and digital records (the former Evidence Act).
Practical changes that matter
The reforms emphasise time-bound investigation, expanded use of digital evidence and forensic procedure, and victim-centric provisions such as defined timelines for filing charge sheets. Section numbers have changed across the board, so older references must be remapped.
If you are facing a matter
The substance of many offences carries over, but the procedure and citations are new. Always work from the current code and section number — relying on the old IPC/CrPC references can cause avoidable errors.
This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. Laws change and every situation is different — speak to a Legal Door expert before acting on it.
Written by
Adv. Vikram Sethi
Sr. Litigator, Legal Door LLP
