IPC 176 to BNS 211: Omission to give notice or information to public servant by person legally bound to give it

Section 176 IPC (1860) replaced by Section 211 BNS (2023)

View IPC Section 176 →View BNS Section 211 →

IPC 176 to BNS 211 at a Glance

Section 176 IPC (Omission to give notice or information to public servant by person legally bound to give it) is now Section 211 BNS, in force from 1 July 2024. Under the BNS it is bailable and non-cognizable. What changed is set out below.

What Changed From IPC 176 to BNS 211?

Section 176 IPC is now Section 211 BNS, with the same title and the same terms of imprisonment. The upper limit of the fine in the ordinary case rises from five hundred rupees to five thousand rupees, and in the case of a notice or information respecting an offence from one thousand rupees to ten thousand rupees. The fine in the third case stays at one thousand rupees, and the reference to sub-section one of section 565 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 becomes a reference to section 394 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.

IPC 176 vs BNS 211: Comparison Table

Aspect	IPC 1860 (repealed)	BNS 2023 (in force)
Section	176	211
Offence	Omission to give notice or information to public servant by person legally bound to give it	Same
Punishment	Simple imprisonment for up to one month. Where the notice or information respects the commission of an offence, or is required to prevent an offence or to apprehend an offender, simple imprisonment for up to six months. Where it is required by an order under sub-section one of section 565 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, imprisonment of either description for up to six months.	Simple imprisonment for up to one month. Where the notice or information respects the commission of an offence, or is required to prevent an offence or to apprehend an offender, simple imprisonment for up to six months. Where it is required by an order under Section 394 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, imprisonment of either description for up to six months.
Fine	The offender may be punished with fine alone or with both imprisonment and fine. The fine may extend to five hundred rupees in the ordinary case and to one thousand rupees in each of the other two cases.	The offender may be punished with fine alone or with both imprisonment and fine. The fine may extend to five thousand rupees under clause (a), ten thousand rupees under clause (b), and one thousand rupees under clause (c).
Bail	Bailable	Same
Cognizance	Non-Cognizable	Same
Compoundable	Non-Compoundable	Same
Triable By	Any Magistrate	Same

IPC 176 and BNS 211: Bare Act Text Side by Side

IPC 1860 (repealed)

Section 176, IPC 1860

176. Omission to give notice or information to public servant by person legally bound to give it.—Whoever, being legally bound to give any notice or to furnish information on any subject to any public servant, as such, intentionally omits to give such notice or to furnish such information in the manner and at the time required by law, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one month, or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with both; or, if the notice or information required to be given respects the commission of an offence, or is required for the purpose of preventing the commission of an offence, or in order to the apprehension of an offender, with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both; or, if the notice or information required to be given is required by an order passed under sub-section (1) of section 565 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (5 of 1898), with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.

BNS 2023 (in force)

Section 211, BNS 2023

Whoever, being legally bound to give any notice or to furnish information on any subject to any public servant, as such, intentionally omits to give such notice or to furnish such information in the manner and at the time required by law,— (a) shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one month, or with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees, or with both; (b) where the notice or information required to be given respects the commission of an offence, or is required for the purpose of preventing the commission of an offence, or in order to the apprehension of an offender, with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to ten thousand rupees, or with both; (c) where the notice or information required to be given is required by an order passed under section 394 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.

Ingredients: IPC 176 vs BNS 211

Under IPC 176

The accused was legally bound to give a notice or to furnish information on a subject to a public servant, as such
The accused omitted to give that notice or to furnish that information
The omission was intentional
The notice or information was required by law to be given in a particular manner and at a particular time
For the higher punishment, the notice or information respected the commission of an offence, or was required to prevent an offence or to apprehend an offender, or was required by an order under sub-section one of section 565 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898

Under BNS 211

A legal duty to give a notice or to furnish information to a public servant, as such
An intentional omission to give it in the manner and at the time required by law

What IPC 176 to BNS 211 Means for Pending Cases

For Section 176 IPC (now Section 211 BNS): the terms of imprisonment are unchanged, but the fine that may be imposed is ten times higher in the ordinary case and in the case of a notice or information respecting an offence. A charge for an omission after the BNS came into force cites Section 211 BNS and carries a fine of up to five thousand rupees or ten thousand rupees as the case may be.

FAQs: IPC 176 to BNS 211

What changed when Section 176 IPC became Section 211 BNS?▼

Two fines are raised. The most that may be imposed goes from five hundred rupees to five thousand rupees in the ordinary case, and from one thousand rupees to ten thousand rupees where the notice or information respects an offence. The imprisonment terms and the third case fine are unchanged.

Where does Section 176 IPC sit in the BNS?▼

In Section 211 BNS, in Chapter XIII, Of Contempts of the Lawful Authority of Public Servants.

Does Section 176 IPC or Section 211 BNS apply to an act done before 1 July 2024?▼

Section 176 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 176 IPC. Section 211 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 ·