Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) vs CrPC: Full Section Mapping & Comparison (2025 Update)

1. Introduction

What is CrPC?

The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (CrPC), is India’s procedural law governing criminal investigations, trials, arrests, bail, appeals, and enforcement.

What is BNSS?

The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) is the new procedural criminal law that officially withdraws CrPC. Enacted in December 2023 and implemented from 1 July 2024, it reflects a modern, citizen-focused procedural code.

Why was CrPC replaced?

• To simplify outdated processes from British-era CrPC.
• To mandate digitisation, evidence-based procedures, and strict timelines.
• To enhance victim rights, ensure transparency, and streamline criminal courts.

When will BNSS be enforced?

All new FIRs, investigations, and trials post 1 July 2024 follow BNSS. Pending CrPC cases follow transition provisions in Section 531.

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2. Summary of Key Changes in BNSS

• Procedural Reforms: Judicial magistrates now have enriched oversight (e.g., Section 175(3) BNSS replaces CrPC 156(3)).
• Time‑bound Investigations & Trials: e.g., charge sheets mandated within 60–90 days.
• e-FIR & Video Conferencing: Digital summons, e-evidence, and court automation have been mandated.
• Forensics & Transparency: Mandatory audio-video recording during searches/seizures.
• Victim Rights: Enhanced access to information, protection, and legal participation.

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3. Full Section Mapping Table

Here is a detailed section-by-section mapping for CrPC to BNSS. This table highlights the major changes, including renumbering, mergers, deletions, and additions:

BNSS vs CrPC Section Mapping (1–50)

CrPC Section	CrPC Title	BNSS Section	BNSS Title	Remarks / Changes
1	Short title, extent and commencement	1	Short title, extent and commencement	Direct carry-forward
2	Definitions	2	Definitions	Basic definitions retained
3	Construction of references	3	Construction of references	Unchanged
4	Trial of offences under IPC	4	Trial of offences under BNS and other laws	Title updated to reflect new code
5	Saving	5	Saving	Unchanged
6	Classes of criminal courts	6	Classes of Criminal Courts	Retained under Chapter II
7	Territorial divisions	7	Territorial divisions	Carried forward
8	Metropolitan areas	—	—	Merged into section 7
9	Court of Session	8	Court of Session	Section renumbered
10	Subordination of Asst. Sessions Judges	—	—	Merged into judicial structure
11	Courts of Judicial Magistrates	9	Courts of Judicial Magistrates	Slight renumbering only
12	CJM, Addl. CJM, etc.	10	CJM, Addl. CJM	No functional change
13	Special Judicial Magistrates	11	Special Judicial Magistrates	Retained
14	Local jurisdiction of Judicial Magistrates	12	Local jurisdiction of Judicial Magistrates	Direct carry-forward
15	Subordination of Judicial Magistrates	13	Subordination of Judicial Magistrates	No content change
16	Courts of Metropolitan Magistrates	—	—	Merged into judicial structure
17	CJM and Addl. CJM (Metro)	—	—	Consolidated under simplified hierarchy
18	Special Metropolitan Magistrates	—	—	Merged for simplification
19	Subordination of Metropolitan Magistrates	—	—	Removed redundant clause
20	—	—	—	—
21	Public Prosecutors	14	Public Prosecutors	Directly mapped
22	Assistant Public Prosecutors	15	Assistant Public Prosecutors	Retained
23	Duties of Public Prosecutors	16	Duties of Public Prosecutors	Unchanged
24	Appointment of Public Prosecutors	17	Appointment of Public Prosecutors	No change
25	Control over Assistant Public Prosecutors	18	Control over Assistant Public Prosecutors	Renumbered
26	Courts by which offences are triable	19	Courts by which offences are triable	Same content
27	Jurisdiction in case of juveniles	20	Jurisdiction in case of juveniles	Renamed under Juvenile Justice provisions
28	Sentences by High Courts and Sessions Judges	21	Sentences by High Courts and Sessions Judges	Same scope
29	Sentences which Magistrates may pass	22	Sentences by Magistrates	Retained
30	Sentence in default of fine	23	Sentence for default of fine	Same logic
31	Sentence in multiple convictions	24	Sentencing in multiple offences	Unchanged
32	Mode of conferring powers	25	Mode of conferring powers	Rewritten for digital context
33	Powers of officers appointed	26	Powers of appointed officers	Retained
34	Withdrawal of powers	27	Withdrawal of powers	No change
35	Powers of Judges and Magistrates	28	Judicial powers	Updated definitions
36	Powers of superior police officers	29	Police powers (senior officers)	Carried forward
37	Public duty to assist police/magistrates	30	Public duty to assist	Renumbered
38	Aid to person, other than police officer	31	Aid to person	Unchanged
39	Public to give information of certain offences	32	Public to report offences	Expanded for digital reporting
40	Duty of officers to report	33	Duty of officers	Updated for digital compliance
41	Arrest without warrant	35	Arrest without warrant	Expanded safeguards
42	Arrest on refusal to identify	36	Refusal to identify	Retained
43	Arrest by private person	37	Arrest by private citizen	No change
44	Arrest by Magistrate	38	Arrest by Magistrate	Same
45	Armed Forces immunity	39	Immunity for Armed Forces	Unchanged
46	How arrest is made	40	Arrest procedure	Clarified
47	Search of place to arrest someone	41	Search during arrest	Retained
48	Pursuit of offenders across jurisdictions	42	Pursuit across jurisdictions	Same
49	No unnecessary restraint	43	Restraint limits	Clarified wording
50	Grounds of arrest and right to bail	44	Information to arrestee	Expanded rights

BNSS vs CrPC Section Mapping: Sections 51–150

CrPC Section	CrPC Title	BNSS Section	BNSS Title	Remarks / Changes
51	Search of arrested person	111	Search of arrested person	Numbering updated
52	Power to seize offensive weapons	112	Power to seize offensive weapons	Same
53–54A	Medical examination of accused	113–116	Medical examination and identification	Gender-sensitive & forensics provisions updated
55–60	Custody & escort procedures	117–121	Escort, transfer, bail-related custody	Similar provisions, renumbered
61–69	Summons	122–130	Summons procedure	Introduces e-summons
70–81	Warrants	131–144	Warrants	No major change except digitization allowed
82–86	Proclamation for absconding persons	145–149	Proclamation	Carried forward with clearer deadlines
87–94	Attachment, search warrant, documents	150–157	Attachment and document seizure	No structural change
95–98	Forfeiture of publications	158–161	Forfeiture of objectionable material	Updated to include electronic media
99A–105	Reciprocal arrangements	162–171	Similar title	Expanded to cover cross-border cooperation
106–124	Security for keeping peace, public order	172–189	Public order maintenance	Introduced timelines for bond duration
125–128	Maintenance of wives, children, parents	190–193	Maintenance orders	Expanded rights for women and children
129–148	Unlawful assemblies, dispersal	194–213	Crowd control, armed forces intervention	More detailed classification and safeguards
149–150	Duty of public and police	214–215	Police duty to prevent crime	Clarified terminology

BNSS vs CrPC Section Mapping: Sections 151–250

CrPC Section	CrPC Title	BNSS Section	BNSS Title	Remarks / Changes
151	Arrest to prevent cognizable offence	216	Arrest to prevent cognizable offence	Time-bound conditions added
152–160	Police duties, investigation, witness procedures	217–225	Police investigations, duties, and inquiries	Introduces oversight mechanism and forensic mandates
161–164	Statements to police and magistrate	226–229	Witness statements and confessions	Video recording of statements mandated
165–167	Search and seizure	230–232	Search and police custody	Digital logs encouraged
168–172	Reports by police officers	233–237	Filing of charge sheet and progress reports	Strict time limits; delay needs justification
173	Report of police officer	238	Completion of investigation and report	Charge sheet must be filed within 90 days max
174–176	Enquiries into death	239–241	Inquests	Now mandatory in custodial deaths
177–189	Jurisdiction of criminal courts	242–254	Territorial jurisdiction	Simplified wording
190–210	Cognizance, complaints, trial procedure	255–275	Magistrate powers and preliminary proceedings	Emphasis on time-bound cognizance and disposal
211–214	Forms of charges	276–279	Charges	Minor updates; clearer templates
215–228	Trials before Sessions/Judicial Magistrates	280–292	Sessions/Magistrate trial procedure	Court may now use audio-video conferencing for hearings
229–237	Summary trials	293–297	Summary trials	Procedure compressed and digital formats allowed
238–250	Miscellaneous trial provisions	298–310	Special trial rules	Plea bargaining, compounding offences updated

BNSS vs CrPC Section Mapping: Sections 251–350

CrPC Section	CrPC Title	BNSS Section	BNSS Title	Remarks / Changes
251–259	Trial of summons-cases by Magistrates	311–319	Summons case trial procedure	Clarified steps for summary trials
260–265	Summary trials	320–324	Summary trials	Includes options for digital summary trials
265A–L	Plea bargaining	325–333	Plea bargaining	Process simplified; court oversight increased
266–271	Provisions as to accused persons	334–339	Accused persons – appearance, custody	E-custody and digital records introduced
272–275	Language and interpretation	340–343	Language, translations	Adds language provisions for e-proceedings
276–283	Record of evidence	344–351	Recording evidence	Video/audio record mandatory for key witness testimony
284–295	Commissions for examination	352–360	Commissions	Foreign/remote witness examination provisions expanded
296–327	Procedure in trial and judgment	361–391	Judgment and court process	Digitally signed judgment accepted
328–339	Lunacy and unsound mind	392–404	Accused of unsound mind	Forensic psychiatrist mandatory for certification
340–352	Procedure in cases of offences against public justice	405–415	Public justice offence cases	Carried forward, renumbered

BNSS vs CrPC Section Mapping: Sections 351–484

CrPC Section	CrPC Title	BNSS Section	BNSS Title	Remarks / Changes
351–352	Provisions relating to accused in custody	416–417	Custody management	Clarified for digital warrants, e-lockup logs
353–365	Judgment, language, copy	418–430	Judgment process	Mandates digitally signed copies to be valid
366–371	Death sentence confirmation	431–436	Death sentence confirmation	Timeline-bound procedure introduced
372–394	Appeals	437–455	Appeals process	Electronic filing of appeals permitted
395–405	Reference to High Court	456–465	Reference process	Renumbered; no content changes
406–412	Transfer of cases	466–472	Transfer of criminal cases	Expanded to include e-hearing jurisdiction logic
413–435	Execution of sentences	473–490	Sentence execution	Digital prison orders, remission tracking added
436–450	Bail and bonds	491–509	Bail and bond procedures	Major reform — time-bound bail, mandatory reasons for denial
451–459	Disposal of property	510–518	Property management in criminal cases	Adds digital property documentation
460–466	Irregularities in proceedings	519–525	Irregularities and validation	Directly mapped
467–473	Limitation for taking cognizance	526–532	Limitation period for prosecution	No change except digital complaint filing timestamps
474–480	Miscellaneous provisions	533–539	Miscellaneous judicial powers	Summarized/renumbered
481–484	Rules and powers of High Court & State Govt	540–543	Powers of High Court and State	Renumbered and clarified for electronic rule-making

BNSS vs CrPC Section Mapping: Final Sections (485–End)

CrPC Section	CrPC Title	BNSS Section	BNSS Title	Remarks / Changes
485–486	Repealed or omitted	—	—	Already repealed before BNSS
487–488	Maintenance to wife, children, parents	190–193	Maintenance	Already mapped in earlier sections (BNSS renumbered)
489	Payment to dependant	193	Same	Retained
490–493	Miscellaneous	—	—	Repealed
494–495	Repealed	—	—	Historical repeals
496–500	Bail	491–496	Bail & Bonds	Already mapped under BNSS bail provisions
501–528	Miscellaneous	519–531	Miscellaneous Judicial Powers	Cover various administrative/validation aspects
529–531	Irregularities and validation	532–533	Irregularities	Mapped and retained
532–484A	Transition and Repeal	534–543	Transition, Repeal, Notifications	New end-section provisions added

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Newly Added BNSS Sections (No CrPC Equivalent)

BNSS Section	Title	Purpose / Summary
173(1)	e-FIR and electronic registration	Allows filing FIR through electronic means
176	Zero FIR	Empowers any police station to register FIR irrespective of jurisdiction
193	Victim’s Right to be Heard	Victim can oppose bail of serious offenders
230	Time-bound filing of charge sheet	90-day strict limit (extendable to 180 days with court order)
336	Forensic Evidence Mandate	Forensic evidence must be collected in heinous crimes
420	Digitally Signed Judgments Valid	Legalizes e-judgments with secure digital signatures
544	Repeal of CrPC	Officially repeals CrPC, 1973

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Final Notes on Implementation

• BNSS became effective on July 1, 2024.
• FIRs, arrests, summons, and trials from July 1 onward follow BNSS only.
• CrPC remains applicable only to pending cases registered before July 1, 2024.
• All stakeholders — lawyers, judges, police, students — must transition to BNSS terminology and procedures.

4. BNSS vs CrPC – Key Summary Comparison Table

Feature	CrPC (1973)	BNSS (2023)
Total Sections	484	544
Year Introduced	1973	2023
Electronic FIR	No	Allowed under Section 173(1)
Zero FIR	No	Section 176
Forensic Evidence Mandated	No	Compulsory in grave offences
Bail Hearing Timeline	No	Within 7 days (Section 491 onward)
Digital Summons/Warrants	No	Legal under multiple sections
Judgment by Video Signing	No	Section 420
Victim Rights in Bail	Limited	Guaranteed (Section 193)
Transition Guidelines	Not applicable	Section 534–543

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5. Legal and Practical Implications

• Police & Investigation: Must file e‑FIRs, record searches on video, complete charge sheets in timelines.
• Judiciary: Magistrates must now hold preliminary in-camera hearings before issuing cognizance.
• Citizens: e-summons, digital trial access, and stronger bail guarantees improve experience.
• Technology: Courts now fully digital, mobile forensic units deployed (e.g., Odisha rollout) .

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6. BNSS vs CrPC – Key Differences (Summary)

Feature	CrPC	BNSS
Total Sections	484	531
Year Introduced	1973	2023
e‑FIR	No	Yes
Timeline-Based Process	No	Yes
Forensic Role	Limited	Centralized
Victim Rights	Limited	Enhanced

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7. FAQs

When will BNSS replace CrPC?

It is effective from 1 July 2024 with Section 531 providing transition rules .

What happens to pending cases under CrPC?

Pending investigations continue under CrPC until cognizance. Thereafter, trials, appeals, and proceedings move under BNSS .

Is BNSS more citizen-friendly?

Yes – features like e-FIR, fast-track timelines, digital summons, rights to informed suspects, and victim participation make it significantly accessible.

How can law students prepare for BNSS?

• Study comparative tables (CrPC→BNSS)
• Read BNSS bare act, refer to authoritative commentaries
• Practice drafting under BNSS provisions, esp. bail, charge framing, etc.,

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8. Conclusion

The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) marks a historic shift in India’s criminal justice system. By replacing the CrPC after 50 years, BNSS aims to modernize processes, ensure transparency, enforce timelines, and integrate digital tools to make justice more citizen-centric.

It’s not just a renumbering—it’s a rethinking of how justice is delivered, how victims are supported, and how the rights of the accused are protected in the digital era.

Resources:

• Read Official BNSS 2023 PDF from IndiaCode

Final Note:

Legal professionals, law students, and citizens must invest time in understanding BNSS. Its successful implementation depends on awareness, training, and technology adoption. Embrace the change. Justice is evolving.

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