BNS §115

Voluntarily causing hurt

ModifiedConfidence: mediumStatus: editor verifiedconsolidation context(observed)
View government sourcemha.gov.in(opens the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 PDF on mha.gov.in in a new tab)
Last updated 2026-05-01 · Input coverage: full

Compiled by AI-assisted tools. Text verified against official sources where indicated. Field-level labels (AI-indicated / AI-inferred / Text-verified) apply per edge metadata. Verify current bail/cognizable status against official sources before relying on procedural claims. Last updated: 2026-04-28.

Jump to section

Comparison

Old law
IPC §323
Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt

323. Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt.—Whoever, except in the case provided for by section 334, voluntarily causes hurt, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.

New law
BNS §115
Voluntarily causing hurt

(1) Whoever does any act with the intention of thereby causing hurt to any person, or with the knowledge that he is likely thereby to cause hurt to any person, and does thereby cause hurt to any person, is said "voluntarily to cause hurt".

(2) Whoever, except in the case provided for by sub-section (1) of section 122 voluntarily causes hurt, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine which may extend to ten thousand rupees, or with both.

What changedAI-inferred

IPC 323 preserved as BNS 115(2) with fine cap raised 10x.

Old position

IPC 323 is concerned with Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt. Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt

New position

BNS 115 modifies the framework. Topic: Voluntarily causing hurt. Whoever does any act with the intention of thereby causing hurt to any person, or with the knowledge that he is likely thereby to cause hurt to any person, and does thereby cause hurt to any person, is said "voluntarily to cause hurt"

BNS 115 modifies IPC 323. IPC 323 preserved as BNS 115(2) with fine cap raised 10x. BNS 115 text: Whoever does any act with the intention of thereby causing hurt to any person, or with the knowledge that he is likely thereby to cause hurt to any person, and does thereby cause hurt to any...

Editorial deltaAI-indicated (source-linked)

BNS 115 reorganises the IPC 321/323 framework: sub-section (1) defines voluntarily-causing-hurt (act with intention or knowledge of likely hurt actually causing hurt) - consolidating IPC 321's definition into the punishment section. Sub-section (2) carries the IPC 323 base punishment for voluntarily causing hurt. The grave-provocation cross-reference is updated to the BNS counterpart.

Transitional note (repeal & savings)

For matters initiated before 1 July 2024, IPC 323 continues to apply. For matters from that date forward, BNS 115 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 unaffected.

Frequently asked

BNS 115 (Voluntarily causing hurt). The relationship is classified as modified — see the change-note above for the textual delta.

Government source

The statutory text above is compiled from the Act as published by the Government of India. The links open the full Act; use the PDF's search to find the section number. The linked government pages offer no link to a single section.

Newlaws.in is an independent site, not a government body. The mappings and notes on this page are its own AI-assisted comparison and are not published or endorsed by any government body.

Sources

Cite this page

Newlaws.in, IPC §323 → BNS §115 Mapping Page, last updated 2026-05-01, accessed 2026-10-29, https://newlaws.in/bns/115.

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.