IPC §148 → BNS §191

Rioting, armed with deadly weapon

ModifiedConfidence: mediumStatus: cross checkedconsolidation context(observed)scope drift(observed)
View government sourcemha.gov.in(opens the Indian Penal Code, 1860 PDF on mha.gov.in in a new tab)
Last updated 2026-05-01 · Input coverage: partial

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 §148
Rioting, armed with deadly weapon

148. Rioting, armed with deadly weapon.—Whoever is guilty of rioting, being armed with a deadly weapon or with anything which, used as a weapon of offence, is likely to cause death, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.

New law
BNS §191
Rioting

(1) Whenever force or violence is used by an unlawful assembly, or by any member thereof, in prosecution of the common object of such assembly, every member of such assembly is guilty of the offence of rioting.

(2) Whoever is guilty of rioting, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.

(3) Whoever is guilty of rioting, being armed with a deadly weapon or with anything which, used as a weapon of offence, is likely to cause death, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years, or with fine, or with both.

What changedAI-inferred

IPC 148 (rioting armed with a deadly weapon, or with anything which used as a weapon of offence is likely to cause death) is preserved as BNS 191(3) with a single substantive change: the imprisonment ceiling expands from 3 years (IPC 148) to 5 years (BNS 191(3)). The actus reus and the alternative-fine punishment structure are character-identical.

Old position

IPC 148 is concerned with Rioting, armed with deadly weapon. Rioting, armed with deadly weapon

New position

BNS 191 modifies the framework. Topic: Rioting. Whenever force or violence is used by an unlawful assembly, or by any member thereof, in prosecution of the common object of such assembly, every member of such assembly is guilty of the offence of rioting

IPC 148 (rioting armed with a deadly weapon, or with anything which used as a weapon of offence is likely to cause death) is preserved as BNS 191(3) with a single substantive change: the imprisonment ceiling expands from 3 years (IPC 148) to 5 years (BNS 191(3)). The actus reus and the...

Editorial deltaAI-indicated (source-linked)

BNS 191 consolidates the IPC rioting cluster (IPC 146 base definition, IPC 147 base punishment, IPC 148 armed-rioting variant) into a single structured section: (1) defines rioting (force or violence used by an unlawful assembly in prosecution of common object), (2) penalises base rioting at imprisonment up to two years (or fine or both), (3) addresses the armed-rioting variant which IPC 148 governed. The extract for BNS 191(3) is partly truncated; the IPC 148 three-year-armed-rioting penalty appears to be carried forward in BNS 191(3).

Transitional note (repeal & savings)

For matters initiated before 1 July 2024, IPC 148 continues to apply. For matters from that date forward, BNS 191 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 191 (Rioting). The relationship is classified as modified — 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 §148 → BNS §191 Mapping Page, last updated 2026-05-01, accessed 2026-10-29, https://newlaws.in/ipc/148.

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.