Nagpur: On July 1, the Indian Penal Code ( IPC ) promulgated by the British from January 1, 1862, would cease to be in operation with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, coming into force across India. The procedure to prosecute the accused will also change as the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, will replace the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). Alongside, the Indian Evidence Act will also be replaced by the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), 2023.
The 162-year-old IPC will, however, remain in use for the foreseeable future as criminal cases already registered or being heard before courts wind their way through the system. The IPC will also be enforced in cases already reported to police but pending registration, or crimes that happened before 12 midnight on June 30 are reported to the police at a later date. Sources said some police stations, where the number of pending applications are substantial, will have a challenging task of handling investigations under both the old and new laws simultaneously.
To implement the BNS, cops across the city downloaded the ‘Sankalan’ app prepared by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), which gives an easy hands-on comparative table of laws in BNS and IPC along with the punishments and other details. Jt CP Aswati Dorje said BNS 2023 would be applicable to incidents which take place after midnight of June 30. “While old cases or matters would attract the IPC, the implementation of BNSS 2023, which would replace the.
