BNS chapter
General definitions, basic structure, and foundational principles of the BNS.
Chapter 1 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita collects general definitions, scope rules, and the basic principles that apply across the code. It is the starting point for understanding how offences, attempts, exceptions, and punishment are defined in the new law.
The chapter governs how the rest of the BNS is read: whether an act is punishable, when a person is liable, and how key terms like "crime", "person", "property" and "public servant" should be interpreted. That makes it essential for lawyers and investigators who are working with the new code for the first time.
This chapter page links to the most important IPC→BNS section mappings in the same offence cluster.
Reference only — not legal advice. Confirm the chapter and sections against the official bare Act.