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Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter XV: Conditions Requisite for Initiation of Proceedings

Section 210: Cognizance of offences by Magistrate

Earlier law: CrPC section 190 (Cognizance of offences by Magistrates)

In plain words

A first class Magistrate, or a specially empowered second class Magistrate, can take cognizance of an offence on a complaint, on a police report (in any mode, including electronic), or on information from someone other than a police officer or from their own knowledge.

  • A complaint can include one filed by a person authorised under a special law.
  • The Chief Judicial Magistrate can empower second class Magistrates to take cognizance of offences within their competence.

A simplified explanation, prepared with AI assistance from the official text below and checked automatically against it for numbers and cross-references. The official text is the law and prevails over this summary. Not legal advice.

Official text

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Chapter, any Magistrate of the first class, and any Magistrate of the second class specially empowered in this behalf under sub-section (2), may take cognizance of any offence—

(a) upon receiving a complaint of facts, including any complaint filed by a person authorised under any special law, which constitutes such offence;

(b) upon a police report (submitted in any mode including electronic mode) of such facts;

(c) upon information received from any person other than a police officer, or upon his own knowledge, that such offence has been committed.

(2) The Chief Judicial Magistrate may empower any Magistrate of the second class to take cognizance under sub-section (1) of such offences as are within his competence to inquire into or try.

Corresponding sections were matched by comparing the wording of both official texts, and for the IPC and BNS, also against a published correspondence table. Wording, punishments and structure often changed, so read both sections before relying on the match.

Source: India Code (indiacode.gov.in), the consolidated text published by the Legislative Department, Government of India. Text as updated on India Code on 12 September 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.

Supreme Court judgments citing the section 210