Under Section 1 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BN

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 came into force on 1st July, 2024, replacing the Indian Penal Code, 1860 which had been in operation for over 163 years. The BNS was passed by Parliament along with the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (replacing the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973) and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (replacing the Indian Evidence Act, 1872), all three coming into force on the same date. This simultaneous implementation was necessary because the three criminal law statutes are deeply interlinked-the substantive law (BNS), the procedural law (BNSS), and the law of evidence (BSA) together form the foundation of the Indian criminal justice system. The notification for bringing these Acts into force was issued by the Central Government under the respective commencement provisions.