Section 325 of The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Execution of foreign commissions.
(1) The provisions of section 321 and so much of section 322 and section 323 as relate to the execution of a commission and its return shall apply in respect of commissions issued by any of the Courts, Judges or Magistrates hereinafter mentioned as they apply to commissions issued under section 319.
(2) The Courts, Judges and Magistrates referred to in sub-section (1) are—
(a) any such Court, Judge or Magistrate exercising jurisdiction within an area in India to which this Sanhita does not extend, as the Central Government may, by notification, specify in this behalf;
(b) any Court, Judge or Magistrate exercising jurisdiction in any such country or place outside India, as the Central Government may, by notification, specify in this behalf, and having authority, under the law in force in that country or place, to issue commissions for the examination of witnesses in relation to criminal matters.
Section 326 of The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Deposition of medical witness.
(1) The deposition of civil surgeon or other medical witness, taken and attested
by a Magistrate in the presence of the accused, or taken on commission under this Chapter, may be given in evidence in any inquiry, trial or other proceeding under this Sanhita, although the deponent is not called as a witness.
(2) The Court may, if it thinks fit, and shall, on the application of the prosecution or
the accused, summon and examine any such deponent as to the subject-matter of his deposition.
Section 327 of The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Identification report of Magistrate.
(1) Any document purporting to be a report of identification under the hand of an Executive Magistrate in respect of a person or property may be used as evidence in any inquiry, trial or other proceeding under this Sanhita, although such Magistrate is not called as a witness:
Provided that where such report contains a statement of any suspect or witness to which the provisions of section 19, section 26, section 27, section 158 or section 160 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023, apply, such statement shall not be used under this sub-section except in accordance with the provisions of those sections.
(2) The Court may, if it thinks fit, and shall, on the application of the prosecution or of
the accused, summon and examine such Magistrate as to the subject-matter of the said report.
Section 328 of The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), Bare Act:
Evidence of officers of the Mint.
(1) Any document purporting to be a report under the hand of any such officer
of any Mint or of any Note Printing Press or of any Security Printing Press (including the officer of the Controller of Stamps and Stationery) or of any Forensic Department or Division of Forensic Science Laboratory or any Government Examiner of Questioned Documents or any State Examiner of Questioned Documents as the Central Government may, by notification, specify in this behalf, upon any matter or thing duly submitted to him for examination and report in the course of any proceeding under this Sanhita, may be used as evidence in any inquiry, trial or other proceeding under this Sanhita, although such officer is not called as a witness.
(2) The Court may, if it thinks fit, summon and examine any such officer as to the subject-matter of his report:
Provided that no such officer shall be summoned to produce any records on which the report is based.
(3) Without prejudice to the provisions of sections 129 and 130 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023, no such officer shall, except with the permission of the General Manager or any officer in charge of any Mint or of any Note Printing Press or of any Security Printing Press or of any Forensic Department or any officer in charge of the Forensic Science Laboratory or of the Government Examiner of Questioned Documents Organisation or of the State Examiner of Questioned Documents Organisation be permitted—
(a) to give any evidence derived from any unpublished official records on which the report is based; or
(b) to disclose the nature or particulars of any test applied by him in the course of the examination of the matter or thing.
Section 329 of The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Reports of certain Government scientific experts.
(1) Any document purporting to be a report under the hand of a Government scientific expert to whom this section applies, upon any matter or thing duly submitted to him for examination or analysis and report in the course of any proceeding under this Sanhita, may be used as evidence in any inquiry, trial or other proceeding under this Sanhita.
(2) The Court may, if it thinks fit, summon and examine any such expert as to the subject-matter of his report.
(3) Where any such expert is summoned by a Court, and he is unable to attend personally, he may, unless the Court has expressly directed him to appear personally, depute any responsible officer working with him to attend the Court, if such officer is conversant with the facts of the case and can satisfactorily depose in Court on his behalf.
(4) This section applies to the following Government scientific experts, namely:—
(a) any Chemical Examiner or Assistant Chemical Examiner to Government;
(b) the Chief Controller of Explosives;
(c) the Director of the Finger Print Bureau;
(d) the Director, Haffkeine Institute, Bombay;
(e) the Director, Deputy Director or Assistant Director of a Central Forensic Science Laboratory or a State Forensic Science Laboratory;
(f) the Serologist to the Government;
(g) any other scientific expert specified or certified, by notification, by the State Government or the Central Government for this purpose.
Section 330 of The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
No formal proof of certain documents.
(1) Where any document is filed before any Court by the prosecution or the accused, the particulars of every such document shall be included in a list and the prosecution or the accused or the advocate for the prosecution or the accused, if any, shall be called upon to admit or deny the genuineness of each such document soon after supply of such documents and in no case later than thirty days after such supply:
Provided that the Court may, in its discretion, relax the time limit with reasons to be recorded in writing:
Provided further that no expert shall be called to appear before the Court unless the report of such expert is disputed by any of the parties to the trial.
(2) The list of documents shall be in such form as the State Government may, be rules, provide.
(3) Where the genuineness of any document is not disputed, such document may be read in evidence in inquiry, trial or other proceeding under this Sanhita without proof of the signature of the person by whom it purports to be signed:
Provided that the Court may, in its discretion, require such signature to by proved.
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Section 331 of The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Affidavit in proof of conduct of public servants.
When any application is made to any Court in the course of any inquiry, trial or other proceeding under this Sanhita, and allegations are made therein respecting any public servant, the applicant may give evidence of the facts alleged in the application by affidavit, and the Court may, if it thinks fit, order that evidence relating to such facts be so given.
Section 332 of The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Evidence of formal character on affidavit.
(1) The evidence of any person whose evidence is of a formal character may be given by affidavit and may, subject to all just exceptions, be read in evidence in any inquiry, trial or other proceeding under this Sanhita.
(2) The Court may, if it thinks fit, and shall, on the application of the prosecution or the accused, summon and examine any such person as to the facts contained in his affidavit.
Section 333 of The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Authorities before whom affidavits may be sworn.
(1) Affidavits to be used before any Court under this Sanhita may be sworn or affirmed before—
(a) any Judge or Judicial or Executive Magistrate; or
(b) any Commissioner of Oaths appointed by a High Court or Court of Session;
or
(c) any notary appointed under the Notaries Act, 1952.
(2) Affidavits shall be confined to, and shall state separately, such facts as the deponent is able to prove from his own knowledge and such facts as he has reasonable ground to believe to be true, and in the latter case, the deponent shall clearly state the grounds of such belief.
(3) The Court may order any scandalous and irrelevant matter in the affidavit to be struck out or amended.
Section 334 of The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Previous conviction or acquittal how proved.
In any inquiry, trial or other proceeding under this Sanhita, a previous conviction or acquittal may be proved, in addition to any other mode provided by any law for the time being in force,—
(a) by an extract certified under the hand of the officer having the custody of the records of the Court in which such conviction or acquittal was held, to be a copy of the sentence or order; or
(b) in case of a conviction, either by a certificate signed by the officer in charge of the Jail in which the punishment or any part thereof was undergone, or by production of the warrant of commitment under which the punishment was suffered, together with, in each of such cases, evidence as to the identity of the accused person with the person so convicted or acquitted.
Section 335 of The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Record of evidence in absence of accused.
(1) If it is proved that an accused person has absconded, and that there is no immediate prospect of arresting him, the Court competent to try, or commit for trial, such person for the offence complained of may, in his absence, examine the witnesses (if any) produced on behalf of the prosecution, and record their depositions and any such deposition may, on the arrest of such person, be given in evidence against him on the inquiry into, or trial for, the offence with which he is charged, if the deponent is dead or incapable of giving evidence or cannot be found or his presence cannot be procured without an amount of delay, expense or inconvenience which, under the circumstances of the case, would be unreasonable.
(2) If it appears that an offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life has been committed by some person or persons unknown, the High Court or the Sessions Judge may direct that any Magistrate of the first class shall hold an inquiry and examine any witnesses who can give evidence concerning the offence and any depositions so taken may be given in evidence against any person who is subsequently accused of the offence, if the deponent is dead or incapable of giving evidence or beyond the limits of India.
Section 336 of The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Evidence of public servants, experts, police officers in certain cases.
Where any document or report prepared by a public servant, scientific expert or medical officer is purported to be used as evidence in any inquiry, trial or other proceeding under this Sanhita, and—
(i) such public servant, expert or officer is either transferred, retired, or died; or
(ii) such public servant, expert or officer cannot be found or is incapable of
giving deposition; or
(iii) securing presence of such public servant, expert or officer is likely to cause delay in holding the inquiry, trial or other proceeding,
the Court shall secure presence of successor officer of such public servant, expert, or officer who is holding that post at the time of such deposition to give deposition on such document or report:
Provided that no public servant, scientific expert or medical officer shall be called to appear before the Court unless the report of such public servant, scientific expert or medical officer is disputed by any of the parties of the trial or other proceedings:
Provided further that the deposition of such successor public servant, expert or officer may be allowed through audio-video electronic means.
CHAPTER XXVII
GENERAL PROVISIONS AS TO INQUIRIES AND TRIALS
Section 337 of The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Person once convicted or acquitted not to be tried for same offence.
(1) A person who has once been tried by a Court of competent jurisdiction for an offence and convicted or acquitted of such offence shall, while such conviction or acquittal remains in force, not be liable to be tried again for the same offence, nor on the same facts for any other offence for which a different charge from the one made against him might have been made under sub-section (1) of section 244, or for which he might have been convicted under sub-section (2) thereof.
(2) A person acquitted or convicted of any offence may be afterwards tried, with the consent of the State Government, for any distinct offence for which a separate charge might have been made against him at the former trial under sub-section (1) of section 243.
(3) A person convicted of any offence constituted by any act causing consequences which, together with such act, constituted a different offence from that of which he was convicted, may be afterwards tried for such last-mentioned offence, if the consequences had not happened, or were not known to the Court to have happened, at the time when he was convicted.
(4) A person acquitted convicted of any offence constituted by any acts may, notwithstanding such acquittal or conviction, be subsequently charged with, and tried for, any other offence constituted by the same acts which he may have committed if the Court by which he was first tried was not competent to try the offence with which he is subsequently charged.
(5) A person discharged under section 281 shall not be tried again for the same offence except with the consent of the Court by which he was discharged or of any other Court to which the first-mentioned Court is subordinate.
(6) Nothing in this section shall affect the provisions of section 26 of the General Clauses Act, 1897 or of section 208 of this Sanhita.
Explanation.—The dismissal of a complaint, or the discharge of the accused, is not an acquittal for the purposes of this section.
Illustrations.
(a) A is tried upon a charge of theft as a servant and aquitted. He cannot afterwards, while the acquittal remains in force, be charged with theft as a servant, or, upon the same facts, with theft simply, or with criminal breach of trust.
(b) A is tried for causing grievous hurt and convicted. The person injured afterwards dies. A may be tried again for culpable homicide.
(c) A is charged before the Court of Session and convicted of the culpable homicide of B. A may not afterwards be tried on the same facts for the murder of B.
(d) A is charged by a Magistrate of the first class with, and convicted by him of, voluntarily causing hurt to B. A may not afterwards be tried for voluntarily causing grievous hurt to B on the same facts, unless the case comes within sub-section (3) of this section.
(e) A is charged by a Magistrate of the second class with, and convicted by him of, theft of property from the person of B. A may subsequently be charged with, and tried for, robbery on the same facts.
(f) A, B and C are charged by a Magistrate of the first class with, and convicted by him of, robbing D. A, B and C may afterwards be charged with, and tried for, dacoity on the same facts.
Section 338 of The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Appearance by Public Prosecutors.
(1) The Public Prosecutor or Assistant Public Prosecutor in charge of a case may appear and plead without any written authority before any Court in which that case is under inquiry, trial or appeal.
(2) If in any such case any private person instructs his advocate to prosecute any person in any Court, the Public Prosecutor or Assistant Public Prosecutor in charge of the case shall conduct the prosecution, and the advocate so instructed shall act therein under the directions of the Public Prosecutor or Assistant Public Prosecutor, and may, with the permission of the Court, submit written arguments after the evidence is closed in the case.
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Section 339 of The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Permission to conduct prosecution.
(1) Any Magistrate inquiring into or trying a case may permit the prosecution to be conducted by any person other than a police officer below the rank of inspector; but no person, other than the Advocate-General or Government Advocate or a Public Prosecutor or Assistant Public Prosecutor, shall be entitled to do so without such permission:
Provided that no police officer shall be permitted to conduct the prosecution if he has taken part in the investigation into the offence with respect to which the accused is being prosecuted.
(2) Any person conducting the prosecution may do so personally or by an advocate.
Section 340 of The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Right of person against whom proceedings are insituted to be defended.
Any person accused of an offence before a Criminal Court, or against whom proceedings are instituted under this Sanhita, may of right be defended by an advocate of his choice.
Section 341 of The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Legal aid to accused at State expense in certain cases.
(1) Where, in a trial or appeal before a Court, the accused is not represented by an advocate, and where it appears to the Court that the accused has not sufficient means to engage an advocate, the Court shall assign an advocate for his defence at the expense of the State.
(2) The High Court may, with the previous approval of the State Government, make rules providing for—
(a) the mode of selecting advocates for defence under sub-section (1);
(b) the facilities to be allowed to such advocates by the Courts;
(c) the fees payable to such advocates by the Government, and generally, for carrying out the purposes of sub-section (1).
(3) The State Government may, by notification, direct that, as from such date as may be specified in the notification, the provisions of sub-sections (1) and (2) shall apply in relation to any class of trials before other Courts in the State as they apply in relation to trials before Courts of Session.
Section 342 of The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Procedure when corporation or registered society is an accused.
(1) In this section, "corporation" means an incorporated company or other body corporate, and includes a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
(2) Where a corporation is the accused person or one of the accused persons in an inquiry or trial, it may appoint a representative for the purpose of the inquiry or trial and such appointment need not be under the seal of the corporation.
(3) Where a representative of a corporation appears, any requirement of this Sanhita that anything shall be done in the presence of the accused or shall be read or stated or explained to the accused, shall be construed as a requirement that that thing shall be done in the presence of the representative or read or stated or explained to the representative, and any requirement that the accused shall be examined shall be construed as a requirement that the representative shall be examined.
(4) Where a representative of a corporation does not appear, any such requirement as is referred to in sub-section (3) shall not apply.
(5) Where a statement in writing purporting to be signed by the managing director of the corporation or by any person duly authorised by him (by whatever name called) having, or being one of the persons having the management of the affairs of the corporation to the effect that the person named in the statement has been appointed as the representative of the corporation for the purposes of this section, is filed, the Court shall, unless the contrary is proved, presume that such person has been so appointed.
(6) If a question arises as to whether any person, appearing as the representative of a corporation in an inquiry or trial before a Court is or is not such representative, the question shall be determined by the Court.
Section 343 of The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Tender of pardon to accomplice.
(1) With a view to obtaining the evidence of any person supposed to have been directly or indirectly concerned in or privy to an offence to which this section applies, the Chief Judicial Magistrate at any stage of the investigation or inquiry into, or the trial of, the offence, and the Magistrate of the first class inquiring into or trying the offence, at any stage of the inquiry or trial, may tender a pardon to such person on condition of his making a full and true disclosure of the whole of the circumstances within his knowledge relative to the offence and to every other person concerned, whether as principal or abettor, in the commission thereof.
(2) This section applies to—
(a) any offence triable exclusively by the Court of Session or by the Court of a
Special Judge appointed under any other law for the time being in force;
(b) any offence punishable with imprisonment which may extend to seven years or with a more severe sentence.
(3) Every Magistrate who tenders a pardon under sub-section (1) shall record—
(a) his reasons for so doing;
(b) whether the tender was or was not accepted by the person to whom it was made,
and shall, on application made by the accused, furnish him with a copy of such record free of cost.
(4) Every person accepting a tender of pardon made under sub-section (1)—
(a) shall be examined as a witness in the Court of the Magistrate taking cognizance
of the offence and in the subsequent trial, if any;
(b) shall, unless he is already on bail, be detained in custody until the termination of the trial.
(5) Where a person has accepted a tender of pardon made under sub-section (1) and has been examined under sub-section (4), the Magistrate taking cognizance of the offence shall, without making any further inquiry in the case—
(a) commit it for trial—
(i) to the Court of Session if the offence is triable exclusively by that
Court or if the Magistrate taking cognizance is the Chief Judicial Magistrate;
(ii) to a Court of Special Judge appointed under any other law for the time being in force, if the offence is triable exclusively by that Court;
(b) in any other case, make over the case to the Chief Judicial Magistrate who shall try the case himself.
Section 344 of The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Power to direct tender of pardon.
At any time after commitment of a case but before judgment is passed, the Court to which the commitment is made may, with a view to obtaining at the trial the evidence of any person supposed to have been directly or indirectly concerned in, or privy to, any such offence, tender a pardon on the same condition to such person.
Section 345 of The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Trial of person not complying with conditions of pardon.
(1) Where, in regard to a person who has accepted a tender of pardon made under section 343 or section 344, the Public Prosecutor certifies that in his opinion such person has, either by wilfully concealing anything essential or by giving false evidence, not complied with the condition on which the tender was made, such person may be tried for the offence in respect of which the pardon was so tendered or for any other offence of which he appears to have been guilty in connection with the same matter, and also for the offence of giving false evidence:
Provided that such person shall not be tried jointly with any of the other accused:
Provided further that such person shall not be tried for the offence of giving false evidence except with the sanction of the High Court, and nothing contained in section 215 or section 379 shall apply to that offence.
(2) Any statement made by such person accepting the tender of pardon and recorded by a Magistrate under section 183 or by a Court under sub-section (4) of section 343 may be given in evidence against him at such trial.
(3) At such trial, the accused shall be entitled to plead that he has complied with the condition upon which such tender was made; in which case it shall be for the prosecution to prove that the condition has not been complied with.
(4) At such trial, the Court shall—
(a) if it is a Court of Session, before the charge is read out and explained to the
accused;
(b) if it is the Court of a Magistrate, before the evidence of the witnesses for the prosecution is taken,
ask the accused whether he pleads that he has complied with the conditions on which the tender of pardon was made.
(5) If the accused does so plead, the Court shall record the plea and proceed with the trial and it shall, before passing judgment in the case, find whether or not the accused has complied with the conditions of the pardon, and, if it finds that he has so complied, it shall, notwithstanding anything contained in this Sanhita, pass judgment of acquittal.
Section 346 of The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Power to postpone or adjourn proceedings.
(1) In every inquiry or trial the proceedings shall be continued from day-to-day basis until all the witnesses in attendance have been examined, unless the Court finds the adjournment of the same beyond the following day to be necessary for reasons to be recorded:
Provided that when the inquiry or trial relates to an offence under section 64, section 65, section 66, section 67, section 68, section 70 and section 71 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 the inquiry or trial shall be completed within a period of two months from the date of filing of the chargesheet.
(2) If the Court, after taking cognizance of an offence, or commencement of trial, finds it necessary or advisable to postpone the commencement of, or adjourn, any inquiry or trial, it may, from time to time, for reasons to be recorded, postpone or adjourn the same on such terms as it thinks fit, for such time as it considers reasonable, and may by a warrant remand the accused if in custody:
Provided that no Court shall remand an accused person to custody under this section for a term exceeding fifteen days at a time:
Provided further that when witnesses are in attendance, no adjournment or postponement shall be granted, without examining them, except for special reasons to be recorded in writing:
Provided also that no adjournment shall be granted for the purpose only of enabling the accused person to show cause against the sentence proposed to be imposed on him:
Provided also that—
(a) no adjournment shall be granted at the request of a party, except where the circumstances are beyond the control of that party;
(b) where the circumstances are beyond the control of a party, not more than two adjournments may be granted by the Court after hearing the objections of the
other party and for the reasons to be recorded in writing;
(c) the fact that the advocate of a party is engaged in another Court, shall not be a ground for adjournment;
(d) where a witness is present in Court but a party or his advocate is not present or the party or his advocate though present in Court, is not ready to examine or cross-examine the witness, the Court may, if thinks fit, record the statement of the witness and pass such orders as it thinks fit dispensing with the examination-in-chief
or cross-examination of the witness, as the case may be.
Explanation 1.—If sufficient evidence has been obtained to raise a suspicion that the accused may have committed an offence, and it appears likely that further evidence may
be obtained by a remand, this is a reasonable cause for a remand.
Explanation 2.—The terms on which an adjournment or postponement may be granted include, in appropriate cases, the payment of costs by the prosecution or the accused.
Tap: https://www.myjudix.com/post/section-347-to-section-366-of-the-bharatiya-nagarik-suraksha-sanhita-bnss-bare-act to read the next batch of sections.
Links to important chapters of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS):
Section 30 to Section 40 of BNSS (Provisions relating to Arrest starting from Section 35):
Section 144-163 (Section 144,145,146 and 147 relate maintenance proceedings):
Section 173-Section 187 (including section 173 relating to FIR):
Section 188 to Section 209 (including section 193 relating to chargesheet/police report):
Section 210 to Section 222 (including provisions relating to cognizance):
Section 473 to Section 492) (Including Section 480, Section 481, Section 482, Section 483, Section 484, Section 485 that is, provisions relating to bail):
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