IPC 147→BNS 191(2)

IPC 147 to BNS 191(2): Punishment for rioting

Section 147 IPC (1860) replaced by Section 191(2) BNS (2023)

View IPC Section 147 →View BNS Section 191(2) →

IPC 147 to BNS 191(2) at a Glance

Section 147 IPC (Punishment for rioting) is now Section 191(2) BNS, in force from 1 July 2024. Under the BNS it is bailable and cognizable. What changed is set out below.

What Changed From IPC 147 to BNS 191(2)?

Section 147 IPC is now Section 191(2) BNS, with the same words and the same punishment. Section 191 BNS also holds the definition of rioting in Section 191(1) BNS and the armed form in Section 191(3) BNS.

IPC 147 vs BNS 191(2): Comparison Table

AspectIPC 1860 (repealed)BNS 2023 (in force)
Section147191(2)
OffencePunishment for riotingSame
PunishmentImprisonment of either description for up to two years.Same
FineThe offender may be punished with fine alone or with both imprisonment and fine.Same
BailBailableSame
CognizanceCognizableSame
CompoundableNon-CompoundableSame
Triable ByAny MagistrateSame

IPC 147 and BNS 191(2): Bare Act Text Side by Side

IPC 1860 (repealed)

Section 147, IPC 1860

147. Punishment for rioting.—Whoever is guilty of rioting, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
BNS 2023 (in force)

Section 191(2), BNS 2023

(2) Whoever is guilty of rioting, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.

Ingredients: IPC 147 vs BNS 191(2)

Under IPC 147
  1. There was an unlawful assembly, which Section 141 IPC defines as an assembly of five or more persons with one of the common objects it lists
  2. Force or violence was used by that assembly or by any member of it
  3. The force or violence was used in prosecution of the common object of the assembly
  4. The accused was a member of that assembly
Under BNS 191(2)
  1. An unlawful assembly
  2. Force or violence used by that assembly or by any member of it in prosecution of the common object of the assembly
  3. The accused is a member of that assembly

What IPC 147 to BNS 191(2) Means for Pending Cases

For Section 147 IPC (now Section 191(2) BNS): the offence and the punishment are unchanged, so a charge for an act done after the BNS came into force cites Section 191(2) BNS and is framed exactly as before. The definition of rioting that the charge rests on now sits in Section 191(1) BNS.

FAQs: IPC 147 to BNS 191(2)

What changed when Section 147 IPC became Section 191(2) BNS?▼

The number and the heading. Section 191(2) BNS repeats the words of Section 147 IPC, and the punishment is the same. It sits under the heading Rioting, together with the definition and the armed form.

Where does Section 147 IPC sit in the BNS?▼

In Section 191(2) BNS, in Chapter XI, Of Offences Against the Public Tranquillity.

Section 147 IPC: did the BNS change the punishment for rioting while armed with a deadly weapon?▼

Yes. Section 191(3) BNS allows up to five years where Section 148 IPC allows up to three. The punishment for rioting without arms stays at up to two years.

Does Section 147 IPC or Section 191(2) BNS apply to an act done before 1 July 2024?▼

Section 147 IPC. Section 358 BNS repealed the IPC from 1 July 2024 but saves any liability already incurred under it, so an act done before that date is still dealt with under Section 147 IPC. Section 191(2) BNS governs acts done on or after 1 July 2024.

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: Indian Penal Code, 1860 · Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 · Last updated: 16 Oct 2026 ·