Prosecution of offences under section 85 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
What this section does
No Court may take cognizance of an offence punishable under BNS section 85 (cruelty by husband or relatives of husband) except upon a police report of facts constituting the offence, or upon a complaint made by the aggrieved person or specified close relatives (father, mother, brother, sister, father's or mother's brother or sister), or with the Court's leave, by any other person related by blood, marriage, or adoption.
AI-generated plain-language summary. For the binding statutory text, see India Code (official).
Procedure at a glance
- Key actors
- Court · Aggrieved person · Police officer · Close relatives of aggrieved person
Derived from CrPC s.198A.
Read the official text
For the binding statutory text of BNSS Section 220, refer to the Gazette of India or the India Code official website.
Why this matters
BNSS Section 220 forms part of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita which replaced the Code of Criminal Procedure 1973 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.