CrPC 31→BNSS 25

CrPC 31 to BNSS 25: Sentence in cases of conviction of several offences at one trial

Section 31 CrPC (1973) replaced by Section 25 BNSS (2023)

View CrPC Section 31 →View BNSS Section 25 →

CrPC 31 to BNSS 25 at a Glance

Section 31 CrPC (Sentence in cases of conviction of several offences at one trial) is now Section 25 BNSS, in force from 1 July 2024. What changed is set out below.

What Changed From CrPC 31 to BNSS 25?

Section 31 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 became Section 25 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 from 1 July 2024. Section 25(1) BNSS refers to Section 9 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 where Section 31(1) CrPC referred to Section 71 of the Indian Penal Code. Section 31(1) CrPC provided that punishments of imprisonment commence the one after the expiration of the other unless the Court directs that they shall run concurrently, and Section 25(1) BNSS reads that the Court shall, considering the gravity of offences, order such punishments to run concurrently or consecutively. The first clause of the proviso to Section 25(2) BNSS reads twenty years where Section 31(2) CrPC read fourteen years, and the rest of the text is the same.

CrPC 31 vs BNSS 25: Comparison Table

AspectCrPC 1973 (repealed)BNSS 2023 (in force)
Section3125
HeadingSentence in cases of conviction of several offences at one trialSame
Sub-sections3 sub-sectionsSame

CrPC 31 and BNSS 25: Bare Act Text Side by Side

CrPC 1973 (repealed)

Section 31, CrPC 1973

31. Sentence in cases of conviction of several offences at one trial.—(1) When a person is convicted at one trial of two or more offences, the Court may, subject to the provisions of section 71 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860), sentence him for such offences, to the several punishments prescribed therefor which such Court is competent to inflict; such punishments when consisting of imprisonment to commence the one after the expiration of the other in such order as the Court may direct, unless the Court directs that such punishments shall run concurrently. (2) In the case of consecutive sentences, it shall not be necessary for the Court by reason only of the aggregate punishment for the several offences being in excess of the punishment which it is competent to inflict on conviction of a single offence, to send the offender for trial before a higher Court: Provided that— (a) in no case shall such person be sentenced to imprisonment for a longer period than fourteen years; (b) the aggregate punishment shall not exceed twice the amount of punishment which the Court is competent to inflict for a single offence. (3) For the purpose of appeal by a convicted person, the aggregate of the consecutive sentences passed against him under this section shall be deemed to be a single sentence.
BNSS 2023 (in force)

Section 25, BNSS 2023

25. Sentence in cases of conviction of several offences at one trial.—(1) When a person is convicted at one trial of two or more offences, the Court may, subject to the provisions of section 9 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, sentence him for such offences, to the several punishments prescribed therefor which such Court is competent to inflict and the Court shall, considering the gravity of offences, order such punishments to run concurrently or consecutively. (2) In the case of consecutive sentences, it shall not be necessary for the Court by reason only of the aggregate punishment for the several offences being in excess of the punishment which it is competent to inflict on conviction of a single offence, to send the offender for trial before a higher Court: Provided that— (a) in no case shall such person be sentenced to imprisonment for a longer period than twenty years; (b) the aggregate punishment shall not exceed twice the amount of punishment which the Court is competent to inflict for a single offence. (3) For the purpose of appeal by a convicted person, the aggregate of the consecutive sentences passed against him under this section shall be deemed to be a single sentence.

When It Applies: CrPC 31 vs BNSS 25

Under CrPC 31
  1. Under Section 31(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, when a person is convicted at one trial of two or more offences, the Court may, subject to Section 71 of the Indian Penal Code, sentence the person for such offences to the several punishments prescribed for them which the Court is competent to inflict.
  2. Under Section 31(1) CrPC, such punishments, when consisting of imprisonment, commence the one after the expiration of the other in such order as the Court may direct, unless the Court directs that such punishments shall run concurrently.
  3. Under Section 31(2) CrPC, in the case of consecutive sentences, it shall not be necessary for the Court to send the offender for trial before a higher Court by reason only of the aggregate punishment for the several offences being in excess of the punishment which the Court is competent to inflict on conviction of a single offence.
  4. Under the second clause of the proviso to Section 31(2) CrPC, the aggregate punishment shall not exceed twice the amount of punishment which the Court is competent to inflict for a single offence.
  5. Under Section 31(3) CrPC, for the purpose of appeal by a convicted person, the aggregate of the consecutive sentences passed against that person under Section 31 CrPC shall be deemed to be a single sentence.
Under BNSS 25
  1. Under Section 25(1) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, when a person is convicted at one trial of two or more offences, the Court may, subject to Section 9 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, sentence the person for such offences to the several punishments prescribed for them which the Court is competent to inflict.
  2. Under Section 25(1) BNSS, the Court shall, considering the gravity of offences, order such punishments to run concurrently or consecutively.
  3. Under Section 25(2) BNSS, in the case of consecutive sentences, it shall not be necessary for the Court to send the offender for trial before a higher Court by reason only of the aggregate punishment for the several offences being in excess of the punishment which the Court is competent to inflict on conviction of a single offence.
  4. Under the second clause of the proviso to Section 25(2) BNSS, the aggregate punishment shall not exceed twice the amount of punishment which the Court is competent to inflict for a single offence.
  5. Under Section 25(3) BNSS, for the purpose of appeal by a convicted person, the aggregate of the consecutive sentences passed against that person under Section 25 BNSS shall be deemed to be a single sentence.

Time Limits: CrPC 31 to BNSS 25

Under CrPC 31
  • Under the first clause of the proviso to Section 31(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, in no case shall a person given consecutive sentences be sentenced to imprisonment for a longer period than fourteen years.Act text: “in no case shall such person be sentenced to imprisonment for a longer period than fourteen years”
Under BNSS 25
  • Under the first clause of the proviso to Section 25(2) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, in no case shall a person given consecutive sentences be sentenced to imprisonment for a longer period than twenty years.Act text: “in no case shall such person be sentenced to imprisonment for a longer period than twenty years”

What CrPC 31 to BNSS 25 Means in Practice

From 1 July 2024, the provision on sentence in cases of conviction of several offences at one trial is found in Section 25 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 in place of Section 31 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. Under Section 25(1) BNSS, the Court shall, considering the gravity of offences, order the punishments to run concurrently or consecutively. Under the first clause of the proviso to Section 25(2) BNSS, in no case shall the person be sentenced to imprisonment for a longer period than twenty years, where Section 31(2) CrPC read fourteen years.

FAQs: CrPC 31 to BNSS 25

How did the rule on concurrent and consecutive sentences change from Section 31(1) CrPC to Section 25(1) BNSS?▼

Section 31(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 provided that punishments of imprisonment commence the one after the expiration of the other in such order as the Court may direct, unless the Court directs that they shall run concurrently. Section 25(1) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 does not contain those words and reads that the Court shall, considering the gravity of offences, order such punishments to run concurrently or consecutively.

How do Section 31(2) CrPC and Section 25(2) BNSS word the longest period of imprisonment for consecutive sentences?▼

Under the first clause of the proviso to Section 31(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, in no case shall such person be sentenced to imprisonment for a longer period than fourteen years. The first clause of the proviso to Section 25(2) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 reads twenty years in place of fourteen years.

Did the limit of twice the single offence punishment or the appeal rule change from Section 31 CrPC to Section 25 BNSS?▼

No. The second clause of the proviso to Section 25(2) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 has the same text as Section 31(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973: the aggregate punishment shall not exceed twice the amount of punishment which the Court is competent to inflict for a single offence. Section 25(3) BNSS has the same text as Section 31(3) CrPC: for the purpose of appeal by a convicted person, the aggregate of the consecutive sentences shall be deemed to be a single sentence.

Disclaimer: This comparison is for informational purposes only. The new criminal laws came into effect on 1 July 2024. Consult a qualified advocate for legal advice.

Sources: Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 · Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 · Last updated: 27 Oct 2026 ·