BNS §10
Punishment of person guilty of one of several offences, judgment stating that it is doubtful of which
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72. Punishment of person guilty of one of several offences, the judgment stating that it is doubtful of which.—In all cases in which judgment is given that a person is guilty of one of several offences specified in the judgment, but that it is doubtful of which of these offences he is guilty, the offender shall be punished for the offence for which the lowest punishment is provided if the same punishment is not provided for all. 1. Ins. by Act 8 of 1882, s. 3. 2. Added by s. 4, ibid.
In all cases in which judgment is given that a person is guilty of one of several offences specified in the judgment, but that it is doubtful of which of these offences he is guilty, the offender shall be punished for the offence for which the lowest punishment is provided if the same punishment is not provided for all.
What changedAI-inferred
BNS Section 10 preserves the rule character-identically.
Old position
IPC Section 72 resolved doubt-on-conviction in favour of the lowest punishment when the judgment specified several offences but could not identify which one was actually committed.
New position
BNS Section 10 preserves the rule character-identically.
Editorial deltaAI-indicated (source-linked)
IPC Section 72 and BNS Section 10 carry the same doubt-resolution rule character-identically: when the judgment specifies several offences but doubt remains as to which, the offender is punished for the offence with the lowest punishment (if the same punishment is not provided for all).
Transitional note (repeal & savings)
For matters initiated before 1 July 2024, IPC 72 continues to apply. For matters from that date forward, BNS 10 applies. The transition is governed by the repeal-and-savings clause in the new code (BNS 358 / BNSS 531 / BSA 170 as the case may be); pending proceedings under the old code carry forward in their existing frame.
Frequently asked
BNS Section 10. The doubt-resolution rule is unchanged.
Sources
- India Code — Indian Penal Code, 1860 (pending verification)
- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 — bare act PDF
Cite this page
Newlaws.in, IPC §72 → BNS §10 Mapping Page, last updated 2026-05-01, accessed 2026-06-15, https://newlaws.in/bns/10.
Compiled using AI-assisted tools · Source-linked · Last updated 2026-05-01
Not legal advice. Verify against the bare act and consult a qualified advocate for any specific matter.