BNS §22

Act of a person of unsound mind

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.

Jump to section

Comparison

Old law
IPC §84
Act of a person of unsound mind

84. Act of a person of unsound mind.—Nothing is an offence which is done by a person who, at the time of doing it, by reason of unsoundness of mind, is incapable of knowing the nature of the act, or that he is doing what is either wrong or contrary to law.

New law
BNS §22
Act of a person of unsound mind

Nothing is an offence which is done by a person who, at the time of doing it, by reason of unsoundness of mind, is incapable of knowing the nature of the act, or that he is doing what is either wrong or contrary to law.

What changedAI-inferred

IPC 84 and BNS 22 carry the same M'Naghten-style insanity defence character-identically: incapable, by reason of unsoundness of mind, of knowing the nature of the act or that it is wrong/contrary to law.

Old position

IPC 84 is concerned with Act of a person of unsound mind. Act of a person of unsound mind

New position

BNS 22 preserves the framework with drafting modernisations as required by the new code. Topic: Act of a person of unsound mind. Nothing is an offence which is done by a person who, at the time of doing it, by reason of unsoundness of mind, is incapable of knowing the nature of the act, or that he is doing what is either wrong or contrary to law

IPC 84 and BNS 22 carry the same M'Naghten-style insanity defence character-identically: incapable, by reason of unsoundness of mind, of knowing the nature of the act or that it is wrong/contrary to law.

Editorial deltaAI-indicated (source-linked)

IPC 84 and BNS 22 carry the same M'Naghten-style insanity defence character-identically: incapable, by reason of unsoundness of mind, of knowing the nature of the act or that it is wrong/contrary to law.

Transitional note (repeal & savings)

For matters initiated before 1 July 2024, IPC 84 continues to apply. For matters from that date forward, BNS 22 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 22 (Act of a person of unsound mind). 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 §84 → BNS §22 Mapping Page, last updated 2026-05-01, accessed 2026-10-29, https://newlaws.in/bns/22.

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.