IPC 181→BNS 216

IPC 181 to BNS 216: False statement on oath or affirmation to public servant or person authorised to administer an oath or affirmation

Section 181 IPC (1860) replaced by Section 216 BNS (2023)

View IPC Section 181 →View BNS Section 216 →

IPC 181 to BNS 216 at a Glance

Section 181 IPC (False statement on oath or affirmation to public servant or person authorised to administer an oath or affirmation) is now Section 216 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 181 to BNS 216?

Section 181 IPC is now Section 216 BNS, with the same title, the same words and the same punishment.

IPC 181 vs BNS 216: Comparison Table

AspectIPC 1860 (repealed)BNS 2023 (in force)
Section181216
OffenceFalse statement on oath or affirmation to public servant or person authorised to administer an oath or affirmationSame
PunishmentImprisonment of either description for up to three years.Same
FineThe offender is also liable to fine. The section sets no limit on the amount.Same
BailBailableSame
CognizanceNon-CognizableSame
CompoundableNon-CompoundableSame
Triable ByMagistrate of the first classSame

IPC 181 and BNS 216: Bare Act Text Side by Side

IPC 1860 (repealed)

Section 181, IPC 1860

181. False statement on oath or affirmation to public servant or person authorised to administer an oath or affirmation.—Whoever, being legally bound by an oath or affirmation to state the truth on any subject to any public servant or other person authorized by law to administer such oath or affirmation, makes, to such public servant or other person as aforesaid, touching that subject, any statement which is false, and which he either knows or believes to be false or does not believe to be true, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, and shall also be liable to fine.
BNS 2023 (in force)

Section 216, BNS 2023

Whoever, being legally bound by an oath or affirmation to state the truth on any subject to any public servant or other person authorised by law to administer such oath or affirmation, makes, to such public servant or other person as aforesaid, touching that subject, any statement which is false, and which he either knows or believes to be false or does not believe to be true, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, and shall also be liable to fine.

Ingredients: IPC 181 vs BNS 216

Under IPC 181
  1. The accused was legally bound by an oath or affirmation to state the truth on a subject
  2. The oath or affirmation was to a public servant or other person authorised by law to administer it
  3. The accused made a statement touching that subject to that public servant or other person
  4. The statement was false
  5. The accused either knew or believed the statement to be false or did not believe it to be true
Under BNS 216
  1. A legal duty on the accused, under an oath or affirmation, to state the truth on a subject to a public servant or other person authorised by law to administer it
  2. A statement by the accused to that public servant or other person touching that subject
  3. The statement being false, and the accused knowing or believing it to be false or not believing it to be true

What IPC 181 to BNS 216 Means for Pending Cases

For Section 181 IPC (now Section 216 BNS): the offence and the punishment are unchanged, so the charge for an act done after the BNS came into force cites Section 216 BNS and is framed exactly as before.

FAQs: IPC 181 to BNS 216

What changed when Section 181 IPC became Section 216 BNS?▼

Only the number. Section 216 BNS repeats the title and the words of Section 181 IPC, and the punishment is the same.

Where does Section 181 IPC sit in the BNS?▼

In Section 216 BNS, in Chapter XIII, Of Contempts of the Lawful Authority of Public Servants.

Does Section 181 IPC or Section 216 BNS apply to an act done before 1 July 2024?▼

Section 181 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 181 IPC. Section 216 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 ·