1. Death Penalty

​Death penalty has been a mode of punishment since time immemorial, executed after due trial and process.  

​Bachan Singh vs St. of PJ: The Supreme Court upheld the validity of the death sentence but held that life imprisonment is the rule and death sentence is the exception.  

​Bimla Devi vs Rajesh Singh: Held that every murder is gruesome, but the right to life of the accused must also be respected.  

​Offences under BNS punishable with death: Currently, 15 offences are punishable with death, such as Section 70(2) (Gang rape of a woman under 18 years) and Section 103(2) (Murder by a mob of 5 or more).  

​2. Imprisonment for Life

​Defined under Section 2(17) of BNS, life means the life of a human being until he breathes his last.  

​Gopal Godse vs St. of MH: Life imprisonment must prima facie be treated as imprisonment for the remaining life of the convict.  

​Power of Remission: Under Section 473/474 of BNSS, power is given to the appropriate government to remit, suspend, or commute the sentence.  

​Example: Sections: 70(1) (Gang rape) and 104 (Murder by life convict).  

U/s 6 of the Act life imprisonment means 20 years unless otherwise provided

​3. Imprisonment

As per the Act "offender may be either disciption court shall sentence wholly rigorous or wholly simple or that any part of imprisonment rigorous and rest simple"

Under Section 7 of BNS, imprisonment is divided into:  

a)​Rigorous: Imprisonment with hard labour whether consent given or not (e.g., child trafficking under Section 143(5)).  

​b)Simple: The offender cannot be forced to work unless he volunteers (e.g., confinement negligently suffered by a public servant under Section 261).  

​4. Forfeiture of Property

​Absolute forfeiture of all properties was mostly abolished in Indian Penal code, 1860. However, under Bhartiya Nagrik Surksha Sanhita,2023(BNSS), property taken by war or depredation can be forfeited (Sections 153/154/155).  

​5. Fine

​Nearly every offence under BNS is punishable with fine, which is sometimes mandatory and sometimes discretionary.

The amount and liability in default are defined under Section 8 of BNS.  

​6. Community Service

​Introduced for the first time as a mode of punishment under BNS, 2023. According to BNSS, it means "work which the court may order the convict to perform as a form of punishment for the benefit of the community for which he shall not be entitled to remuneration".