LEGAL LOUNGE LIVE / CRIMINAL CODES
The new criminal codes
Student guides to the BNS, BNSS and BSA, which came into force on 1 July 2024.
← Back to homeBNS
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
20 chapters and 358 sections. Replaces the Indian Penal Code: offences and punishments.
Open the BNS guide →BNSSBharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
39 chapters and 531 sections. Replaces the CrPC: arrest, FIR, trial, bail and appeals.
Open the BNSS guide →BSABharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023
12 chapters and 170 sections. Replaces the Evidence Act: what evidence is allowed and how to prove it.
Open the BSA guide →01
Section finder
Old section numbers matched to new ones.
Open the finder →02Cheat sheet
A printable one-page old-to-new table.
Open the cheat sheets →03Quiz
Test yourself on the new codes.
Start the quiz →Which law applies? The new codes apply to offences committed on or after 1 July 2024, and the old Acts generally continue for earlier offences and proceedings, subject to the savings provisions. Read the official text on India Code. These guides are educational and are not legal advice. Last updated: October 2026.