BNS §4

Punishments

ModifiedConfidence: mediumStatus: editor verifiedscope drift(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: 2026-05-02.

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Comparison

Old law
IPC §53
Punishments

53. Punishments.—The punishments to which offenders are liable under the provisions of this Code are— First.—Death; 2[Secondly.—Imprisonment for life;] 3* * * * * Fourthly.—Imprisonment, which is of two descriptions, namely:—

(1) Rigorous, that is, with hard labour;

(2) Simple; Fifthly.—Forfeiture of property; Sixthly.—Fine.

New law
BNS §4
Punishments

The punishments to which offenders are liable under the provisions of this Sanhita are—

(a) Death;

(b) Imprisonment for life;

(c) Imprisonment, which is of two descriptions, namely:—

(1) Rigorous, that is, with hard labour;

(2) Simple;

(d) Forfeiture of property;

(e) Fine;

(f) Community Service.

What changedAI-inferred

BNS Section 4 retains all five operative IPC categories and adds Community Service as a sixth punishment head (clause (f)). The ordinal labels are replaced by letter labels (a)–(f); the [Repealed] Thirdly placeholder is dropped.

Old position

IPC Section 53 enumerated five operative punishment heads under ordinal labels — Death, Imprisonment for life, Imprisonment (Rigorous and Simple), Forfeiture of property, and Fine. The Thirdly category — Transportation — had been repealed by Act 26 of 1955 and survived only as a [Repealed] placeholder in the operative text.

New position

BNS Section 4 retains all five operative IPC categories and adds Community Service as a sixth punishment head (clause (f)). The ordinal labels are replaced by letter labels (a)–(f); the [Repealed] Thirdly placeholder is dropped.

Editorial deltaAI-indicated (source-linked)

BNS 4 carries forward IPC 53's enumeration of punishments and introduces a new sixth category: Community Service. The other punishments (Death; Imprisonment for life; Imprisonment, rigorous or simple; Forfeiture of property; Fine) are preserved. The 'Thirdly—transportation for life' carve-out from IPC 53 (already substituted by the Adaptation of Laws Order, 1950 and amendments thereof) and the 'Secondly—Imprisonment for life' bracketed insert are incorporated cleanly into the (a)-(f) lettered structure.

Transitional note (repeal & savings)

For matters initiated before 1 July 2024, IPC 53 continues to apply. For matters from that date forward, BNS 4 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 4. It retains the IPC operative punishment categories and adds Community Service as a sixth punishment head.

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 §53 → BNS §4 Mapping Page, last updated 2026-05-01, accessed 2026-10-29, https://newlaws.in/bns/4.

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.