On July 1, 2024, India began using three new criminal laws in place of the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Indian Evidence Act. The change matters whenever a report refers to a Bharatiya code rather than one of the earlier statutes. It also marks a transition in how police, prosecutors and courts handle criminal cases.
Three laws replace three
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita replaced the Indian Penal Code, which set out criminal offences and punishments. The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita replaced the Code of Criminal Procedure, governing processes such as investigation and trial. The Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam replaced the Indian Evidence Act, which sets rules for evidence in court.
What the change means
The names are not just a new label: each statute sets out provisions that legal institutions must apply. The new codes include changes to procedure and evidence, and the Nyaya Sanhita adds community service as a punishment for some offences. For any particular case, the relevant section and the date of the events matter; the statute named in a headline alone does not explain the outcome.
Read transition stories carefully
A report about a case that began before July 1, 2024, may involve different legal provisions from one registered after that date. The transition also means older references to the IPC or CrPC can remain relevant when describing earlier events. When a story cites a section number, check which law it belongs to and whether the article explains the timing.