SSC CPO 2025 PYQ — Question 86

Answer: Within 30 days (extendable up to 45 days).
Explanation:

• The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023—which has replaced the colonial-era Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973—stipulates several strict timeframes to expedite the justice delivery system. According to Section 258 of the BNSS (under the new provisions), once arguments in a criminal trial have concluded, it is mandatory for the judge to pronounce their verdict within 30 days.
• If, due to specific or unavoidable circumstances, the verdict cannot be pronounced within 30 days, this period may be extended up to a maximum of 45 days, provided that appropriate reasons are recorded in writing. The previous law (CrPC) did not explicitly define such rigid timeframes, which often resulted in delays of several months in the pronouncement of verdicts. This new provision marks a significant step toward addressing the problem of 'justice delayed is justice denied.'

Additional Points:

• Effective Date: The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) came into force across the entire country on July 1, 2024.
• Other Timeframes: Under the BNSS, it has been made mandatory to frame charges within 60 days of the filing of the investigation report (charge sheet).
• Digitalization: The BNSS also mandates the videography of search and seizure proceedings.

Potential Exam Questions and Answers:
Question: Which previous law has been replaced by the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS)?
Answer: The Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973.
Question: Under the new laws, what is the timeframe for recording the statements of rape victims?
Answer: Within 7 days of receiving information about the incident.
Question: According to the BNSS, within how many days of the conclusion of a trial must the trial court upload the verdict to a web portal? Answer: Within 7 days of the verdict being pronounced.