Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which of the following is correct regarding the punishment for mob lynching?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
Correct Answer
Punishable with up to 7 years, life imprisonment, or death
Explanation
Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, stringent provisions have been introduced specifically targeting mob lynching. According to Section 103(2) of the BNS, when a group of five or more persons acting in concert commits murder on the ground of race, caste or community, sex, place of birth, language, personal belief, or any other similar ground, each member of such group shall be punished with death, imprisonment for life, or imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than 7 years, and shall also be liable to a fine.
This landmark criminal law reform replaces the British-era Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, which did not contain a distinct, codified provision for hate crimes or murders executed by a mob, previously prosecuting them under general murder or unlawful assembly sections.
Key Points
The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, along with BNSS and BSA, officially came into effect across India on July 1, 2024.
This is the first time in Indian jurisprudence that mob lynching has been categorized and codified as a specific, distinct offense.
The law sets the baseline minimum punishment for mob-driven murder at 7 years, extending all the way up to capital punishment depending on judicial severity.
Important Questions and Answers
Question: Which specific section of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 deals with the punishment for murder committed by a mob or group of five or more individuals?
Answer: Section 103(2).
Question: On which date did the three new criminal laws (BNS, BNSS, and BSA) officially replace the IPC, CrPC, and Indian Evidence Act in India?
Answer: July 1, 2024.