BNSS Section 21: Courts by which offences are triable (formerly CrPC 26)
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 · in force from 1 July 2024
BNSS 21: Courts by which offences are triable
From 1 July 2024
Subject to the other provisions of this Sanhita,—
(a) any offence under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 may be tried by—
(i) the High Court; or
(ii) the Court of Session; or
(iii) any other Court by which such offence is shown in the First Schedule to be triable:
Provided that any offence under section 64, section 65, section 66, section 67, section 68, section 69, section 70 or section 71 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 shall be tried as far as practicable by a Court presided over by a woman;
(b) any offence under any other law shall, when any Court is mentioned in this behalf in such law, be tried by such Court and when no Court is so mentioned, may be tried by—
(i) the High Court; or
(ii) any other Court by which such offence is shown in the First Schedule to be triable.
What it replaced in the CrPC
BNSS 21 ← CrPC 26 · Courts by which offences are triableNo change
BPR&D's comparison records no change in the text, only a new number.
Printed in both official correspondence tables (BPR&D and NCRB).
Subject to the other provisions of this Code,—
(a) any offence under the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860) may be tried by
(i) the High Court, or
(ii) the Court of Session, or
(iii) any other Court by which such offence is shown in the First Schedule to be triable: [Provided that any [offence under section 376, section 376A, section 376B, section 376C, section 376D or section 376E of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860)] shall be tried as far as practicable by a Court presided over by a woman.]
(b) any offence under any other law shall, when any Court is mentioned in this behalf in such law, be tried by such Court and when no Court is so mentioned, may be tried by—
(i) the High Court, or
(ii) any other Court by which such offence is shown in the First Schedule to be triable:
Which one applies
Procedure follows the proceeding. Under section 531(2)(a) of the BNSS, an appeal, application, trial, inquiry or investigation already pending on 1 July 2024 continues under the CrPC; one begun on or after that date proceeds under the BNSS.
Read BNSS section 531 →Judgments decided under CrPC 26
They remain the law on CrPC 26. Where the provision changed in the move, read what changed before relying on one for an offence after 1 July 2024.
Sources
- Correspondence Table and Comparison Summary of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 to the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, Bureau of Police Research & Development, Ministry of Home Affairs, page 3.
- Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023: bare Act with Corresponding Section Table, National Crime Records Bureau (Sankalan), page 21.
- The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (Act 2 of 1974), as amended, India Code, Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice.
BPR&D is the Bureau of Police Research & Development (Ministry of Home Affairs); NCRB the National Crime Records Bureau. Their correspondence tables are training aids, not law. This page is general information, not legal advice on any case; the bare Acts as published by the Government of India are the authority.