BNS §173

Punishment for bribery

Substantively sameConfidence: mediumStatus: editor verified
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.

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Comparison

Old law
IPC §171E
Punishment for bribery

171E. Punishment for bribery.—Whoever commits the offence of bribery shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both: Provided that bribery by treating shall be punished with fine only. Explanation.—“Treating” means that form of bribery where the gratification consists in food, drink, entertainment, or provision.

New law
BNS §173
Punishment for bribery

Whoever commits the offence of bribery shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both:

Provided that bribery by treating shall be punished with fine only.

What changedAI-inferred

IPC 171E and BNS 173 carry the election-bribery punishment offence character-identically. Imprisonment up to 1 year, fine, or both. The treating-proviso (bribery by treating punishable with fine only) and the Explanation defining 'treating' (gratification consisting in food, drink, entertainment, or provision) are preserved.

Old position

IPC 171E is concerned with Punishment for bribery. Punishment for bribery

New position

BNS 173 preserves the framework with drafting modernisations as required by the new code. Topic: Punishment for bribery. Whoever commits the offence of bribery shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both: Provided that bribery by treating shall be punished with fine only

IPC 171E and BNS 173 carry the election-bribery punishment offence character-identically. Imprisonment up to 1 year, fine, or both. The treating-proviso (bribery by treating punishable with fine only) and the Explanation defining 'treating' (gratification consisting in food, drink, entertainment,...

Editorial deltaAI-indicated (source-linked)

IPC 171E and BNS 173 carry the election-bribery punishment offence character-identically. Imprisonment up to 1 year, fine, or both. The treating-proviso (bribery by treating punishable with fine only) and the Explanation defining 'treating' (gratification consisting in food, drink, entertainment, or provision) are preserved.

Transitional note (repeal & savings)

For matters initiated before 1 July 2024, IPC 171E continues to apply. For matters from that date forward, BNS 173 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 173 (Punishment for bribery). The relationship is classified as substantively_same — 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 §171E → BNS §173 Mapping Page, last updated 2026-05-01, accessed 2026-10-29, https://newlaws.in/bns/173.

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.