CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE, 1973
BHARATIYA NAGARIK SURAKSHA SANHITA, 2023
211. Contents of charge
234. Contents of charge
changed or removed in old law
changed or added in new law
Similar wording stays plain; only differences are highlighted.
CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE, 1973
211. Contents of charge.—(1) Every charge under this Code shall state the offence with which the
accused is charged.
(2) If the law which creates the offence gives it any specific name, the offence may be described in
the charge by that name only.
(3) If the law which creates the offence does not give it any specific name, so much of the definition
of the offence must be stated as to give the accused notice of the matter with which he is charged.
(4) The law and section of the law against which the offence is said to have been committed shall be
mentioned in the charge.
(5) The fact that the charge is made is equivalent to a statement that every legal condition required by
law to constitute the offence charged was fulfilled in the particular case.
(6) The charge shall be written in the language of the Court.
(7) If the accused, having been previously convicted of any offence, is liable, by reason of such
previous conviction, to enhanced punishment, or to punishment of a different kind, for a subsequent
offence, and it is intended to prove such previous conviction for the purpose of affecting the punishment
which the Court may think fit to award for the subsequent offence, the fact, date and place of the previous
conviction shall be stated in the charge; and if such statement has been omitted, the Court may add it at
any time before sentence is passed.
Illustrations
(a) A is charged with the murder of B. This is equivalent to a statement that A's act fell within the definition of murder
given in sections 299 and 300 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860); that it did not fall within any of the general exceptions
of the said Code; and that it did not fall within any of the five exceptions to section 300, or that, if it did fall within
Exception 1, one or other of the three provisos to that exception applied to it.
(b) A is charged under section 326 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860), with voluntarily causing grievous hurt to B
by means of an instrument for shooting. This is equivalent to a statement that the case was not provided for by section 335
of the said Code, and that the general exceptions did not apply to it.
(c) A is accused of murder, cheating, theft, extortion, adultery or criminal intimidation, or using a false property-mark.
The charge may state that A committed murder, or cheating, or theft, or extortion, or adultery, or criminal intimidation, or
that he used a false property-mark, without reference to the definitions, of those crimes contained in the Indian Penal Code
(45 of 1860); but the sections under which the offence is punishable must, in each instance be referred to in the charge.
(d) A is charged under section 184 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860) with intentionally obstructing a sale of
property offered for sale by the lawful authority of a public servant. The charge should be in those words.
Legacy / repealed by BNSS India Code — CrPC 1973
BHARATIYA NAGARIK SURAKSHA SANHITA, 2023
234. Contents of charge.—(1) Every charge under this Sanhita shall state the offence with which the
accused is charged.
(2) If the law which creates the offence gives it any specific name, the offence may be described in the
charge by that name only.
(3) If the law which creates the offence does not give it any specific name, so much of the definition of
the offence must be stated as to give the accused notice of the matter with which he is charged.
(4) The law and section of the law against which the offence is said to have been committed shall be
mentioned in the charge.
(5) The fact that the charge is made is equivalent to a statement that every legal condition required by
law to constitute the offence charged was fulfilled in the particular case.
(6) The charge shall be written in the language of the Court.
(7) If the accused, having been previously convicted of any offence, is liable, by reason of such previous
conviction, to enhanced punishment, or to punishment of a different kind, for a subsequent offence, and it
is intended to prove such previous conviction for the purpose of affecting the punishment which the Court
may think fit, to award for the subsequent offence, the fact, date and place of the previous conviction shall
be stated in the charge; and if such statement has been omitted, the Court may add it at any time before
sentence is passed.
Illustrations.
(a) A is charged with the murder of B. This is equivalent to a statement that A's act fell within the
definition of murder given in sections 100 and 101 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023; that it did not fall
within any of the general exceptions of the said Sanhita; and that it did not fall within any of the five
exceptions to section 101 thereof, or that, if it did fall within Exception 1, one or other of the three provisos
to that exception applied to it.
(b) A is charged under sub-section (2) of section 118 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, with
voluntarily causing grievous hurt to B by means of an instrument for shooting. This is equivalent to a
statement that the case was not provided for by sub-section (2) of section 122 of the said Sanhita, and that
the general exceptions did not apply to it.
(c) A is accused of murder, cheating, theft, extortion, or criminal intimidation, or using a false property-
mark. The charge may state that A committed murder, or cheating, or theft, or extortion, or criminal
intimidation, or that he used a false propertymark, without reference to the definitions, of those crimes
contained in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023; but the sections under which the offence is punishable
must, in each instance be referred to in the charge.
(d) A is charged under section 219 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, with intentionally obstructing
a sale of property offered for sale by the lawful authority of a public servant. The charge should be in those
words.
Current law India Code — BNSS 2023