BNS · Section 20 · Chapter III — GENERAL EXCEPTIONS
Act of a child under seven years of age
What this section does
Provides an absolute exception from criminal liability for any act done by a child under seven years of age. No act of such a child can constitute an offence under the Sanhita.
AI-generated plain-language summary. For the binding statutory text, see India Code (official).
Old-law correspondence
Derived from IPC s.82.
Read the official text
For the binding statutory text of BNS Section 20, refer to the Gazette of India or the India Code official website.
Why this matters
BNS Section 20 forms part of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita which replaced the Indian Penal Code 1860 on 1 July 2024. Any new filing, FIR, charge sheet, or bail application made on or after that date should cite the new section number. References to the old act in legacy documents remain valid for matters that arose before the changeover.