CrPC → BNSS section converter
FIR & investigation
Registering an FIR, ordering an investigation, and recording statements — the sections that govern how a case begins.
| CrPC § | BNSS § | What it covers & what changed |
|---|---|---|
| CrPC 154 | BNSS 173 | FIR — information in a cognizable case The FIR provision. The BNSS adds a statutory 'Zero FIR' (registrable at any police station) and electronic filing, and allows a preliminary enquiry within 14 days for offences punishable with 3–7 years. |
| CrPC 155 | BNSS 174 | Information in a non-cognizable case Police record the information and refer the informant to a Magistrate; they cannot investigate without the Magistrate's order. |
| CrPC 156 | BNSS 175 | Police power to investigate; Magistrate's order to investigate The application a complainant files to force an investigation — long known as 'a 156(3) application' — is now made under Section 175(3). |
| CrPC 161 | BNSS 180 | Examination of witnesses by the police Statements to the police during investigation; the BNSS expressly allows recording by audio-video means. |
| CrPC 164 | BNSS 183 | Recording of confessions and statements by a Magistrate Confessions and key witness statements recorded before a Magistrate, which carry greater evidentiary weight than a police statement. |
| CrPC 173 | BNSS 193 | Police report (charge sheet) on completing investigation The charge sheet. Note the trap: the number 173 means the FIR provision in the BNSS, but the charge-sheet provision in the old CrPC. |
Arrest & custody
When the police may arrest, how it is done, the grounds that must be given, and the 24-hour and remand limits.
| CrPC § | BNSS § | What it covers & what changed |
|---|---|---|
| CrPC 41 | BNSS 35 | When police may arrest without a warrant Carries forward the arrest-restriction safeguards (notice of appearance instead of arrest for lesser offences) that the Supreme Court had read into the old Section 41. |
| CrPC 46 | BNSS 43 | How an arrest is made The BNSS permits the use of handcuffs in specified serious categories of offence. |
| CrPC 50 | BNSS 47 | Right to be told the grounds of arrest The arrested person must be informed of the grounds of arrest and, in a bailable offence, of the right to bail. |
| CrPC 57 | BNSS 58 | No detention beyond 24 hours without a Magistrate A person arrested without a warrant cannot be held longer than 24 hours except by a Magistrate's order for remand. |
| CrPC 167 | BNSS 187 | Custody and remand — the basis of 'default bail' Governs police/judicial remand, and grounds the right to 'default bail' when the investigation is not completed within the statutory period. |
Bail
Bail as of right, bail in a non-bailable offence, anticipatory bail, and the wider powers of the Sessions Court and High Court.
| CrPC § | BNSS § | What it covers & what changed |
|---|---|---|
| CrPC 436 | BNSS 478 | Bail in a bailable offence In a bailable offence, bail is a matter of right, not the court's discretion. |
| CrPC 437 | BNSS 480 | Bail in a non-bailable offence (by a Magistrate) Discretionary bail in a non-bailable offence before a Magistrate, subject to statutory restrictions. |
| CrPC 438 | BNSS 482 | Anticipatory bail Bail in anticipation of arrest, granted by the Sessions Court or High Court. Frequently confused with 528 — that is the separate inherent-powers provision. |
| CrPC 439 | BNSS 483 | Special bail powers of the High Court and Sessions Court The wider bail powers used to seek bail (or to cancel it) before the Sessions Court or High Court. |
Cognizance & trial
How a Magistrate takes cognizance, examines the complainant and the accused, and the limitation on minor offences.
| CrPC § | BNSS § | What it covers & what changed |
|---|---|---|
| CrPC 190 | BNSS 210 | How a Magistrate takes cognizance of an offence The point at which a Magistrate formally takes notice of an offence and the case enters the court's process. |
| CrPC 200 | BNSS 223 | Examination of the complainant in a private complaint The BNSS adds that the accused must be given an opportunity to be heard before cognizance is taken on a complaint — a notable change from the old procedure. |
| CrPC 313 | BNSS 351 | Power of the court to examine the accused The stage at which the court puts the incriminating circumstances to the accused for an explanation. |
| CrPC 468 | BNSS 514 | Limitation on taking cognizance of minor offences Bars cognizance of the lesser offences after the limitation period (e.g. six months to three years, by punishment). |
Maintenance, public order & High Court powers
Maintenance, the urgent public-order power once known as 'Section 144', and the inherent powers used to quash proceedings.
| CrPC § | BNSS § | What it covers & what changed |
|---|---|---|
| CrPC 125 | BNSS 144 | Maintenance of wife, children and parents The summary remedy for maintenance; substance largely carried over from the old Section 125. |
| CrPC 144 | BNSS 163 | Magistrate's urgent orders against nuisance or danger The 'Section 144' public-order power to restrain apprehended danger or nuisance in urgent cases. |
| CrPC 482 | BNSS 528 | Inherent powers of the High Court The provision used to quash FIRs and proceedings and to secure the ends of justice. Do not confuse with 482 BNSS, which is anticipatory bail. |
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Criminal-law essentials
The pages people usually need next, once they know the section.
Frequently asked questions
What is Section 154 CrPC in BNSS?
Registering an FIR in a cognizable case — formerly Section 154 of the CrPC — is now Section 173 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) 2023, which also introduced the statutory 'Zero FIR' and electronic FIR.
What is Section 438 CrPC in BNSS?
Anticipatory bail — formerly Section 438 CrPC — is now Section 482 of the BNSS 2023. (Do not confuse it with Section 528 BNSS, which is the inherent powers of the High Court, formerly Section 482 CrPC.)
What is Section 125 CrPC in BNSS?
Maintenance of a wife, children and parents — formerly Section 125 CrPC — is now Section 144 of the BNSS 2023.
When did the BNSS replace the CrPC?
The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 replaced the Code of Criminal Procedure 1973 with effect from 1 July 2024. Proceedings begun before that date largely continue under the CrPC.
Common CrPC→BNSS mappings for general understanding only, verified against published comparative tables. The BNSS restructured sub-sections, timelines and wording — confirm the exact provision for your matter with a licensed advocate. Which code applies depends on when the proceeding began.