Old section, new section
On 1 July 2024 three criminal statutes were replaced. The civil family law statutes were not touched. The result is that a single family's papers now routinely carry two numbering systems at once.
- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
- Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
- Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023
What changed and what did not
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita replaced the Indian Penal Code, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita replaced the Code of Criminal Procedure, and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam replaced the Indian Evidence Act, with effect from 1 July 2024. The Hindu Marriage Act, the Special Marriage Act, the Guardians and Wards Act, the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act and the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act were not replaced and their section numbers are unchanged.
Proceedings that had already begun under the old statutes continue under them. A family that has a cruelty case registered in 2023 and a maintenance application filed in 2025 will therefore be dealing with section 498A IPC and section 144 BNSS at the same time, which is entirely normal and not an error.
Conversion table
| Subject | Old provision | New provision |
|---|---|---|
| Cruelty by husband or his relatives | s. 498A IPC | s. 85 BNS |
| Definition of cruelty for that offence | Explanation to s. 498A | s. 86 BNS |
| Dowry death | s. 304B IPC | s. 80 BNS |
| Bigamy | s. 494 IPC | s. 82 BNS |
| Maintenance of wife, children and parents | s. 125 CrPC | s. 144 BNSS |
| Anticipatory bail | s. 438 CrPC | s. 482 BNSS |
| Bail by High Court or Court of Session | s. 439 CrPC | s. 483 BNSS |
| Inherent powers of the High Court | s. 482 CrPC | s. 528 BNSS |
| Notice of appearance instead of arrest | s. 41A CrPC | s. 35 BNSS |
| Order to investigate on a complaint | s. 156(3) CrPC | s. 175(3) BNSS |
| Admissibility of electronic records | s. 65B Evidence Act | s. 63 BSA |
Numbering is stated for general orientation. Before relying on any provision, read the current text of the statute itself — amendments and judicial interpretation continue.
Which statute applies to your case
The general position is that the law in force when the offence was committed governs the offence, and the procedural statute in force when a step is taken governs that step. In practice, if your FIR was registered before 1 July 2024 it will refer to IPC sections and the case proceeds accordingly; if it was registered after, it will refer to BNS sections. If you are unsure which applies to a paper you have received, the first page of the FIR or the complaint will tell you.
Discuss your own facts
General information cannot account for the specifics of a marriage, a family or a pending case. A first consultation covers what applies to your situation, what the realistic options are, and what each one is likely to cost and take.