BNS §7
Sentence may be (in certain cases of imprisonment) wholly or partly rigorous or simple
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Comparison
60. Sentence may be (in certain cases of imprisonment) wholly or partly rigorous or simple.—In every case in which an offender is punishable with imprisonment which may be of either description, it shall be competent to the Court which sentences such offender to direct in the sentence that such imprisonment shall be wholly rigorous, or that such imprisonment shall be wholly simple, or that any part of such imprisonment shall be rigorous and the rest simple.
In every case in which an offender is punishable with imprisonment which may be of either description, it shall be competent to the Court which sentences such offender to direct in the sentence that such imprisonment shall be wholly rigorous, or that such imprisonment shall be wholly simple, or that any part of such imprisonment shall be rigorous and the rest simple.
What changedAI-inferred
BNS Section 7 carries the IPC 60 rule character-identically.
Old position
IPC Section 60 gave the Court discretion over the description (rigorous / simple) of imprisonment when the offence is punishable with imprisonment of either description. The Court may direct that the imprisonment be wholly rigorous, wholly simple, or partly each.
New position
BNS Section 7 carries the IPC 60 rule character-identically.
Editorial deltaAI-indicated (source-linked)
IPC Section 60 and BNS Section 7 carry the same rule character-identically: where an offender is punishable with imprisonment of either description, the Court may direct in the sentence that the imprisonment be wholly rigorous, wholly simple, or partly each. No drafting changes beyond sub-clause format alignment.
Transitional note (repeal & savings)
For matters initiated before 1 July 2024, IPC 60 continues to apply. For matters from that date forward, BNS 7 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 7. The rule is character-identical.
Sources
- India Code — Indian Penal Code, 1860 (pending verification)
- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 — bare act PDF (Gazette of India, 25 December 2023; Act No. 45 of 2023)
Cite this page
Newlaws.in, IPC §60 → BNS §7 Mapping Page, last updated 2026-05-01, accessed 2026-06-14, https://newlaws.in/bns/7.
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.