IPC §71 → BNS §9
Limit of punishment of offence made up of several offences
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71. Limit of punishment of offence made up of several offences.—Where anything which is an offence is made up of parts, any of which parts is itself an offence, the offender shall not be punished with the punishment of more than one of such his offences, unless it be so expressly provided. 2[Where anything is an offence falling within two or more separate definitions of any law in force for the time being by which offences are defined or punished, or where several acts, of which one or more than one would by itself or themselves constitute an offence, constitute, when combined, a different offence, the offender shall not be punished with a more severe punishment than the Court which tries him could award for any one of such offences]. Illustrations (a) A gives Z fifty strokes with a stick. Here A may have committed the offence of voluntarily causing hurt to Z by the whole beating, and also by each of the blows which make up the whole beating. If A were liable to punishment for every blow, he might be imprisoned for fifty years, one for each blow. But he is liable only to one punishment for the whole beating. (b) But, if, while A is beating Z, Y interferes, and A intentionally strikes Y, here, as the blow given to Y is no part of the act whereby A voluntarily causes hurt to Z, A is liable to one punishment for voluntarily causing hurt to Z, and to another for the blow given to Y.
(1) Where anything which is an offence is made up of parts, any of which parts is itself an offence, the offender shall not be punished with the punishment of more than one of such his offences, unless it be so expressly provided.
(2) Where—
(a) anything is an offence falling within two or more separate definitions of any law in force for the time being by which offences are defined or punished; or
(b) several acts, of which one or more than one would by itself or themselves constitute an offence, constitute, when combined, a different offence,
the offender shall not be punished with a more severe punishment than the Court which tries him could award for any one of such offences.
What changedAI-inferred
BNS Section 9 carries the rule character-identically with structural reorganisation into sub-clauses (1) and (2) with limbs (a)/(b). Both illustrations are preserved.
Old position
IPC Section 71 prevented cumulative punishment for an offence and its constituent parts (or for several acts that combine to form a different offence). Two canonical illustrations made the rule concrete: the fifty-strokes example and the Y-interferes example.
New position
BNS Section 9 carries the rule character-identically with structural reorganisation into sub-clauses (1) and (2) with limbs (a)/(b). Both illustrations are preserved.
Editorial deltaAI-indicated (source-linked)
IPC Section 71 and BNS Section 9 carry the same cumulative-punishment limit rule character-identically. BNS reorganises the IPC's two-paragraph structure into sub-clauses (1) and (2) with limbs (a)/(b); the operative content and both canonical illustrations (the fifty-strokes example and the Y-interferes example) are preserved.
Transitional note (repeal & savings)
For matters initiated before 1 July 2024, IPC 71 continues to apply. For matters from that date forward, BNS 9 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 9. The cumulative-punishment limit rule and both canonical illustrations are preserved.
Sources
- India Code — Indian Penal Code, 1860 (pending verification)
- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 — bare act PDF
Cite this page
Newlaws.in, IPC §71 → BNS §9 Mapping Page, last updated 2026-05-01, accessed 2026-06-12, https://newlaws.in/ipc/71.
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.