Indian Penal Code, 1860
IPC Section 53 in BNS
Punishments. Section 53 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (Punishments) corresponds to Section 4 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
Verify before you rely on this. Renumbering under the 2023 codes is not a clean one-to-one exercise — provisions were merged, split and reworded. Always check the printed bare act.
Where this sits in the exam
This provision is examined under IPC & Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, worth 8 of the 100 marks in AIBE XXII. The paper permits bare acts but bans notes, so what matters is finding it quickly, not reciting the number.
Questions that turn on this section
Community service has been introduced as a form of punishment under the BNS for:
Answer & explanation
Certain petty offences, such as non-appearance and petty theft
Community service is listed among the punishments in BNS Section 4 and is a significant innovation. It applies to a small set of minor offences specified in the Sanhita.
Which of the following is NOT a punishment recognised under Section 4 of the BNS?
Answer & explanation
Transportation for life
The punishments are death, imprisonment for life, imprisonment (rigorous or simple), forfeiture of property, fine and community service. Transportation was abolished long before the BNS.
Consider the following about punishments under the BNS: I. Community service is a recognised punishment. II. Solitary confinement may be imposed for any offence. III. Forfeiture of property is a punishment. Which of the above are correct?
Answer & explanation
I and III only
§ 4 BNS lists death, imprisonment for life, imprisonment, forfeiture of property, fine and community service. Solitary confinement is regulated, not a punishment for any offence at large.
Sections either side of it
How the neighbouring provisions of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 were renumbered:
| IPC | Provision | BNS |
|---|---|---|
| 34 | Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention | 3(5) |
| 37 | Co-operation by doing one of several acts constituting an offence | 3(8) |
| 38 | Persons concerned in criminal act may be guilty of different offences | 3(9) |
| 64 | Sentence of imprisonment for non-payment of fine | 8 |
| 71 | Limit of punishment of offence made up of several offences | 9 |
| 73 | Solitary confinement | 11 |
Practise it
Cutoff has AIBE XXII questions on this area, each cited to both codes with a line telling you where to find it in the bare act. Ten questions per subject are free, no account needed.
Practise free Full IPC→BNS table