IPC to BNS Section Mapping: The Old-to-New Criminal Code Converter (2026)

Reference · Criminal Law Transition

Updated for 2026 · Claw Editorial

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023 replaced the Indian Penal Code (IPC) 1860 from 1 July 2024. Most offences carried over, but with new section numbers: for example IPC 302 (murder) is now BNS 103, IPC 420 (cheating) is BNS 318, IPC 376 (rape) is BNS 64 and IPC 498A is BNS 85. Lawyers, students and litigants now meet both numbers every day, so this page gives a conversion table for the most searched sections and explains what changed.

01Why the old and new numbers confuse people

The IPC had about 511 sections and every lawyer knew the big ones by heart. Section 302, 420 and 498A are used even in everyday speech. The BNS reorganised the whole code, so the same offence now sits under a different number, and many sections moved because the new code groups offences differently.

Two codes are alive at the same time

Old cases are still decided under the IPC. New offences are charged under the BNS. A court list, a charge sheet or a judgment can therefore mention either number, and sometimes both. A lawyer who only knows one code will misread half the papers on the desk.

Search engines and notes mix the two

Judgments written after July 2024 often say "Section 302 IPC (now Section 103 BNS)". Older commentary only knows the IPC number. Searching with the wrong number returns the wrong law, or nothing.

The BNS did not abolish most offences. It renumbered them. The offence is usually the same, but the section number is not.

02IPC to BNS conversion table (most searched sections)

This table covers the sections people search most. Sub-section numbers (for example 115(2)) show where a BNS section splits one IPC section into parts. Always check the exact sub-section in the official text before you cite it in a pleading.

Treat the last row (IPC 201) and the abetment of suicide row (IPC 306) as the ones to double check against the official text. Mappings change only if Parliament amends the BNS, so recheck the table after any amendment.

03What changed in the BNS besides the numbers

The BNS is not only a renumbering. It adds a few offences, removes a few, and changes some wording and punishments.

New offences and provisions

• Organised crime: BNS 111 covers organised crime and BNS 112 covers petty organised crime.
• Terrorist act: BNS 113 defines and punishes a terrorist act inside the main penal code.
• Snatching: snatching is treated as its own offence, separate from theft and robbery (BNS 304).
• Mob lynching: murder by a group of five or more on grounds such as race, caste or religion is covered under BNS 103(2).
• Community service: introduced as a punishment for certain minor offences.

Removed or replaced provisions

• Sedition (IPC 124A): the word sedition is gone. A new provision on acts endangering the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India sits at BNS 152.
• Attempt to commit suicide (IPC 309): not carried over as an offence.
• Adultery (IPC 497) and unnatural offences (IPC 377): not carried over. The Supreme Court had already struck down adultery and read down Section 377 for consenting adults in 2018. Check carefully before relying on any BNS equivalent for non-consensual acts, as this area needs a separate read of the new text.

Many sections were also reworded in gender neutral or simpler language, and some punishments were raised. For offences that matter in your matter, read the BNS text and not only a conversion table.

04Which code applies to which case

The rule is based on the date of the offence. An offence committed before 1 July 2024 is dealt with under the IPC, even if the trial runs for years after that date. An offence committed on or after 1 July 2024 is dealt with under the BNS. This follows Article 20(1) of the Constitution, which bars a harsher penalty than the law in force when the act was done.

The procedure follows a similar logic. The Code of Criminal Procedure was replaced by the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), so section numbers there changed too. See our companion guide, CrPC to BNSS section mapping.

05How to use the table safely

A conversion table is a starting point, not authority. Follow these steps.

1. Check the date of offence first. It decides whether the IPC or BNS number is the right one.
2. Do not assume one to one. Some IPC sections split into several BNS sections, and some BNS sections merge several IPC sections.
3. Read the sub-section. For example hurt is BNS 115(2), not just 115. The sub-section carries the punishment.
4. Cite both numbers when the matter spans the change. Write "Section 420 IPC (now Section 318 BNS)".
5. Verify against the official text. Use the Gazette or India Code version before filing.

If you handle criminal matters daily, see how case management software for criminal lawyers helps track matters under both codes. For one worked example of a heavily searched section, read Section 498A IPC and its BNS equivalent.

06Where Claw fits

Claw is an all-in-one legaltech platform for Indian advocates, law firms, and corporate legal teams, combining AI-based case search, an AI legal assistant (Legal GPT), case management, and compliance automation across all Indian courts and tribunals.

For criminal practice, the useful part is that one workspace holds your case list, cause lists and hearing alerts, so you see which matters are under the IPC and which are under the BNS. Claw also offers AI-based case search across the Supreme Court and High Courts, where judgments written after July 2024 often carry both numbers. The mapping on this page is a reference. Claw does not replace reading the statute.

07Sources and further reading

Check every section against the official text:

• Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (official text): indiacode.nic.in
• Ministry of Home Affairs (notification and comparison material): mha.gov.in
• Claw: clawlaw.in

Last verified October 2026. The table was cross-checked against published comparison charts and should be confirmed against the official text before use in any court filing.

08Frequently asked questions