BNS §32

Act to which a person is compelled by threats

Substantively sameConfidence: mediumStatus: editor verified
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 §94
Act to which a person is compelled by threats

94. Act to which a person is compelled by threats.—Except murder, and offences against the State punishable with death, nothing is an offence which is done by a person who is compelled to do it by threats, which, at the time of doing it, reasonably cause the apprehension that instant death to that person will otherwise be the consequence: Provided the person doing the act did not of his own accord, or from a reasonable apprehension of harm to himself short of instant death, place himself in the situation by which he became subject to such constraint. Explanation 1.—A person who, of his own accord, or by reason of a threat of being beaten, joins a gang of dacoits, knowing their character, is not entitled to the benefit of this exception, on the ground of his having been compelled by his associates to do anything that is an offence by law. Explanation 2.—A person seized by a gang of dacoits, and forced, by threat of instant death, to do a thing which is an offence by law; for example, a smith compelled to take his tools and to force the door of a house for the dacoits to enter and plunder it, is entitled to the benefit of this exception.

New law
BNS §32
Act to which a person is compelled by threats

Except murder, and offences against the State punishable with death, nothing is an offence which is done by a person who is compelled to do it by threats, which, at the time of doing it, reasonably cause the apprehension that instant death to that person will otherwise be the consequence:

Provided that the person doing the act did not of his own accord, or from a reasonable apprehension of harm to himself short of instant death, place himself in the situation by which he became subject to such constraint.

What changedAI-inferred

IPC 94 and BNS 32 carry the same duress (compulsion-by-threats) defence character-identically. Murder and offences against the State punishable with death are excluded; both Explanations (gang-of-dacoits and forced-smith) are preserved.

Old position

IPC 94 is concerned with Act to which a person is compelled by threats. Act to which a person is compelled by threats

New position

BNS 32 preserves the framework with drafting modernisations as required by the new code. Topic: Act to which a person is compelled by threats. Except murder, and offences against the State punishable with death, nothing is an offence which is done by a person who is compelled to do it by threats, which, at the time of doing it, reasonably cause the apprehension that instant death

IPC 94 and BNS 32 carry the same duress (compulsion-by-threats) defence character-identically. Murder and offences against the State punishable with death are excluded; both Explanations (gang-of-dacoits and forced-smith) are preserved.

Editorial deltaAI-indicated (source-linked)

IPC 94 and BNS 32 carry the same duress (compulsion-by-threats) defence character-identically. Murder and offences against the State punishable with death are excluded; both Explanations (gang-of-dacoits and forced-smith) are preserved.

Transitional note (repeal & savings)

For matters initiated before 1 July 2024, IPC 94 continues to apply. For matters from that date forward, BNS 32 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 32 (Act to which a person is compelled by threats). The relationship is classified as substantively_same — see the change-note above for the textual delta.

Sources

Cite this page

Newlaws.in, IPC §94 → BNS §32 Mapping Page, last updated 2026-05-01, accessed 2026-06-15, https://newlaws.in/bns/32.

Compiled using AI-assisted tools · Source-linked · Last updated 2026-05-01

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