IPC §73 → BNS §11
Solitary confinement
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Comparison
73. Solitary confinement.—Whenever any person is convicted of an offence for which under this Code the Court has power to sentence him to rigorous imprisonment, the Court may, by its sentence, order that the offender shall be kept in solitary confinement for any portion or portions of the imprisonment to which he is sentenced, not exceeding three months in the whole, according to the following scale, that is to say— a time not exceeding one month if the term of imprisonment shall not exceed six months; a time not exceeding two months if the term of imprisonment shall exceed six months and1[shall not exceed one] year a time not exceeding three months if the term of imprisonment shall exceed one year.
Whenever any person is convicted of an offence for which under this Sanhita the Court has power to sentence him to rigorous imprisonment, the Court may, by its sentence, order that the offender shall be kept in solitary confinement for any portion or portions of the imprisonment to which he is sentenced, not exceeding three months in the whole, according to the following scale, namely:—
(a) a time not exceeding one month if the term of imprisonment shall not exceed six months;
(b) a time not exceeding two months if the term of imprisonment shall exceed six months and shall not exceed one year;
(c) a time not exceeding three months if the term of imprisonment shall exceed one year.
What changedAI-inferred
BNS Section 11 preserves the rule character-identically. The only mechanical change is Code → Sanhita.
Old position
IPC Section 73 authorised the Court to order solitary confinement (with a 3-month aggregate cap) for offenders convicted of rigorous-imprisonment-eligible offences, with three tiers tied to the imprisonment length.
New position
BNS Section 11 preserves the rule character-identically. The only mechanical change is Code → Sanhita.
Editorial deltaAI-indicated (source-linked)
IPC Section 73 and BNS Section 11 carry the same solitary-confinement rule character-identically: a Court sentencing for a rigorous-imprisonment-eligible offence may order solitary confinement, capped at 3 months in the aggregate, with a three-tier scale tied to imprisonment length (≤6 months → 1 month max; >6 months and ≤1 year → 2 months max; >1 year → 3 months max). Only mechanical change: Code → Sanhita.
Transitional note (repeal & savings)
For matters initiated before 1 July 2024, IPC 73 continues to apply. For matters from that date forward, BNS 11 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 11. The solitary-confinement authority and the three-tier scale are unchanged.
Sources
- India Code — Indian Penal Code, 1860 (pending verification)
- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 — bare act PDF
Cite this page
Newlaws.in, IPC §73 → BNS §11 Mapping Page, last updated 2026-05-01, accessed 2026-06-12, https://newlaws.in/ipc/73.
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.