Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter XVII: Commencement of Proceedings Before Magistrates
Section 231: Supply of copies of statements and documents to accused in other cases triable by Court of Session
In plain words
In a complaint case triable only by a Court of Session, the Magistrate must give the accused free copies of the statements of people examined by the Magistrate, police statements and confessions, and documents the prosecution relies on. Voluminous documents can be made available for inspection instead, and electronic supply counts.
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
Where, in a case instituted otherwise than on a police report, it appears to the Magistrate issuing process under section 227 that the offence is triable exclusively by the Court of Session, the Magistrate shall forthwith furnish to the accused, free of cost, a copy of each of the following:—
(i) the statements recorded under section 223 or section 225, of all persons examined by the Magistrate;
(ii) the statements and confessions, if any, recorded under section 180 or section 183;
(iii) any documents produced before the Magistrate on which the prosecution proposes to rely:
Provided that if the Magistrate is satisfied that any such document is voluminous, he shall, instead of furnishing the accused with a copy thereof, direct that he will only be allowed to inspect it either personally or through an advocate in Court:
Provided further that supply of documents in electronic form shall be considered as duly furnished.
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 231
No Supreme Court judgment in our database cites this section yet.