BNS and Indian Penal Code (IPC)

No, the IPC is no longer applicable. The BNS has officially come into force from 1st July 2024, replacing the IPC in all Indian states and Union Territories.
For crimes committed before this date, the IPC still applies, but for all new offences, the BNS is the governing law.

New offences added under BNS include:

• Mob lynching

• Snatching (as a distinct offence)

• Hate crimes based on identity

• Offences against women and children grouped under one dedicated chapter

The key differences between BNS and IPC for CLAT PG include new terminology, restructured chapters, removal of sedition, and addition of tech-related crimes. BNS also puts more focus on victim rights and citizen-centric justice.

Yes, you can prepare IPC without reading the entire bare act by focusing on important chapters like general exceptions, offences against the body, and property. Use summaries, case law notes, and MCQs for better clarity.

Yes, some punishments under BNS are stricter in certain offences, especially those involving sexual crimes, organised violence, and crimes against women and children. The new law also ensures speedier trials and victim-centric provisions.

The main legal difference lies in intent—murder involves clear intent to cause death,while in culpable homicide, the intent can be either to cause death or to cause such bodily injury as is likely to cause death.

The best way to revise IPC quickly before CLAT is to go through topic-wise summaries, solve PYQs, and revise key sections and landmark cases instead of reading the full act.

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita has 20 chapters covering general principles, offences against the human body, property, state, and more — compared to 23 chapters in the IPC.