Why IPC sections changed to BNS
On 1 July 2024, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS) replaced the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (IPC) as India’s primary criminal code, alongside the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) replacing the CrPC and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) replacing the Evidence Act. Almost every familiar section number changed — IPC 302 (murder) is now BNS Section 103(1); IPC 420 (cheating) is now BNS Section 318. A lawyer who has cited "Section 302" for twenty years now needs the new number mid-hearing, mid-drafting, or mid-client-call. This converter is built to answer that instantly, in either direction.
How this converter is verified
Every mapping here is cross-checked against the official comparative tables published alongside the BNS, not generated or guessed by AI — this tool never invents a section number. Deep, hand-verified entries (with punishment, bailable/cognizable/compoundable classification, and the court of trial) cover the most-searched sections; the full IPC section range is covered by the official NCRB-sourced comparative table, so a search for any of the ~511 IPC sections returns a result. Each entry carries a verification date and source note, and every page carries a "verify with the bare act" reminder — this is a reference tool, not legal advice.
Old cases stay under the old law
The BNS is not retrospective. An FIR registered, or an offence committed, before 1 July 2024 continues to be investigated, chargesheeted, and tried under the IPC, CrPC, and Evidence Act — only offences committed on or after that date fall under BNS/BNSS/BSA. In practice this means both codes will be live in Indian courtrooms for years, which is exactly why a fast, accurate two-way converter (not just an IPC→BNS one-way table) matters: you need to move confidently in both directions depending on which matter you’re in.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the BNS equivalent of IPC 302?
- IPC Section 302 (murder) corresponds to Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
- When did BNS replace IPC in India?
- The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 came into force on 1 July 2024, replacing the Indian Penal Code, 1860, for offences committed on or after that date.
- Do old FIRs registered under IPC still use IPC in court?
- Yes. The BNS is not retrospective — an FIR or offence from before 1 July 2024 continues under the IPC, CrPC, and Evidence Act through investigation, trial, and appeal. Only offences on or after that date fall under BNS/BNSS/BSA.
- How accurate are the section mappings — could a number be wrong?
- Every mapping is cross-checked against official comparative tables and carries a source and verification date — nothing here is AI-generated or guessed. Even so, always verify against the bare act before filing; this is a reference tool, not legal advice.
- Can I convert BNS back to the old IPC section?
- Yes — this converter works both ways. Toggle the direction and search by the BNS section number to find its IPC equivalent, useful when reviewing an older case file or judgment that still cites IPC.