IPC §302 → BNS §103

Punishment for murder

ModifiedConfidence: mediumStatus: cross checkedscope drift(observed)
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 §302
Punishment for murder

302. Punishment for murder.—Whoever commits murder shall be punished with death or 1[imprisonment for life], and shall also be liable to fine.

New law
BNS §103
Punishment for murder

(1) Whoever commits murder shall be punished with death or imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine.

(2) When a group of five or more persons acting in concert commits murder on the ground of race, caste or community, sex, place of birth, language, personal belief or any other similar ground each member of such group shall be punished with death or with imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine.

What changedAI-inferred

IPC 302 (punishment for murder — death or life imprisonment with mandatory fine) is preserved as BNS 103(1) character-identically. BNS 103(2) is a NEW sub-section codifying group/mob lynching: where five or more persons acting in concert commit murder on grounds of race, caste, community, sex, place of birth, language, personal belief, or similar ground, each group member is punished with death or life imprisonment and mandatory fine. This is one of the most significant substantive additions in BNS Chapter VI, codifying the response to recurring incidents of identity-based mob killings (responding to public outcry over lynching incidents in 2017-2019).

Old position

IPC 302 is concerned with Punishment for murder. Punishment for murder

New position

BNS 103 modifies the framework. Topic: Punishment for murder. Whoever commits murder shall be punished with death or imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine

IPC 302 (punishment for murder — death or life imprisonment with mandatory fine) is preserved as BNS 103(1) character-identically. BNS 103(2) is a NEW sub-section codifying group/mob lynching: where five or more persons acting in concert commit murder on grounds of race, caste, community, sex,...

Editorial deltaAI-indicated (source-linked)

BNS 103 carries forward IPC 302's base murder punishment in sub-section (1) (death or imprisonment for life, plus fine) character-identically. The visible operative delta is BNS 103(2): a new aggravated form for murder committed by a group of five or more persons acting in concert on protected-class grounds. This is the textual codification of mob-lynching as a distinct sub-section.

Transitional note (repeal & savings)

For matters initiated before 1 July 2024, IPC 302 continues to apply. For matters from that date forward, BNS 103 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 103 (Punishment for murder). The relationship is classified as modified — see the change-note above for the textual delta.

Sources

Cite this page

Newlaws.in, IPC §302 → BNS §103 Mapping Page, last updated 2026-05-01, accessed 2026-06-12, https://newlaws.in/ipc/302.

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

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