Section 156 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023
📘 Section 156 – Cognizance of Offence by Police Officer
⚖️ What Section 156 says (in simple terms):
When a police officer receives information about the commission of a cognizable offence,
The police officer is required to register a First Information Report (FIR),
And begin investigation without delay,
Unless there is a specific reason not to register the case.
🧾 Breakdown of Key Elements:
| Element | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Information about offence | Police receives any credible information regarding a cognizable offence. |
| Cognizable offence | An offence where police have authority to investigate without prior court approval. Examples include serious crimes like murder, robbery, assault, etc. |
| Register FIR | Police must officially record the complaint in the form of a First Information Report. |
| Investigation | Police must promptly start investigating the offence. |
| No undue refusal | Police cannot refuse to register FIR arbitrarily; refusal must be justified. |
🔍 Purpose of Section 156:
To ensure prompt action by police in serious criminal matters.
To safeguard citizens’ right to have their complaints recorded and investigated.
To prevent police from ignoring or suppressing complaints without proper reason.
📝 Example:
If a person reports a robbery to the police, the police must register an FIR immediately and begin investigation.
They cannot refuse to do so unless there is a valid legal reason.
🚨 Important Points:
This section applies only to cognizable offences — serious offences where police have autonomous power to investigate.
If police refuse to register FIR without valid reason, affected persons can approach higher authorities or courts.
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