Section 420 BNSS: Appeal against conviction by High Court in certain cases
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
Section 420 BNSS at a Glance
Section 420 BNSS deals with appeal against conviction by High Court in certain cases. It replaced Section 379 CrPC on 1 July 2024.
Section 420 BNSS Bare Act Text
420. Appeal against conviction by High Court in certain cases
Where the High Court has, on appeal, reversed an order of acquittal of an accused person and convicted him and sentenced him to death or to imprisonment for life or to imprisonment for a term of ten years or more, he may appeal to the Supreme Court.
Source: Section 420, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
Section 420 BNSS in Simple Words
Section 420 BNSS applies where the High Court has, on appeal, reversed an order of acquittal of an accused person and convicted the accused person and sentenced the accused person to death or to imprisonment for life or to imprisonment for a term of ten years or more. In that case, the accused person may appeal to the Supreme Court.
When Section 420 BNSS Applies
- Where the High Court has, on appeal, reversed an order of acquittal of an accused person and convicted the accused person, the accused person may appeal to the Supreme Court if sentenced to death, to imprisonment for life or to imprisonment for a term of ten years or more, under Section 420 BNSS.
Example of Section 420 BNSS
When Section 420 BNSS Does Not Apply
- Section 420 BNSS speaks of an appeal to the Supreme Court where the High Court has, on appeal, reversed an order of acquittal. It does not deal with an appeal in case of acquittal, which is the subject of Section 419 BNSS.
- Section 420 BNSS speaks of an appeal to the Supreme Court by an accused person convicted by the High Court. It does not deal with the special right of appeal in certain cases, which is the subject of Section 421 BNSS.
Section 420 BNSS in the CrPC (Previous Law)
Section 420 BNSS replaces Section 379 CrPC from the old criminal code.
Section 420 BNSS has the same heading and the same text as Section 379 CrPC.
View CrPC Section 379 →FAQs on Section 420 BNSS
Who may appeal to the Supreme Court under Section 420 BNSS?▼
An accused person may appeal to the Supreme Court where the High Court has, on appeal, reversed an order of acquittal and convicted the accused person and sentenced the accused person to death or to imprisonment for life or to imprisonment for a term of ten years or more.
Which sentences give a right of appeal under Section 420 BNSS?▼
A sentence of death, a sentence of imprisonment for life, or a sentence of imprisonment for a term of ten years or more.
To which Court does the appeal lie under Section 420 BNSS?▼
The appeal lies to the Supreme Court.
What changed from Section 379 CrPC to Section 420 BNSS from 1 July 2024?▼
Section 420 BNSS has the same heading and the same text as Section 379 CrPC.
Have questions about Section 420 BNSS?
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Sources: Bare Act Text, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 · Last updated: 20 Oct 2026 ·