Delhi Registers First FIR Under New Penal Code BNS: Street Vendor Charged

Delhi has registered its first FIR under Section 173 of the new Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), marking the replacement of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) that dates back to British rule. A street vendor faced charges under Section 285 of the BNS for blocking a foot overbridge at the New Delhi Railway Station by selling tobacco products and water from a cart, despite police instructions to move. All FIRs filed from July 1 onward will adhere to the BNS, while those registered by June 30 will follow the IPC, Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), and the Indian Evidence Act.

The BNS, comprising 358 sections, streamlines the IPC’s 511 sections, introduces new offenses, increases imprisonment durations for some crimes, raises fines, and includes community service. The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) encompasses 531 sections compared to the CrPC’s 484, featuring notable amendments, while the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) updates and replaces the Indian Evidence Act with added and modified charges.

These new laws, introduced after six months of stakeholder consultations, aim to modernize India’s criminal justice system through technology. Home Minister Amit Shah conducted 158 meetings to consider 3,200 suggestions, culminating in the drafting of these laws. The Indian Parliament approved the new legislation following recommendations from a parliamentary standing committee.