Section 203 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023
Section 203 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 addresses the jurisdiction of courts over offences committed during a journey or voyage.
Text of Section 203
Offence committed on journey or voyage
When an offence is committed whilst the person by or against whom, or the thing in respect of which, the offence is committed is in the course of performing a journey or voyage, the offence may be inquired into or tried by a Court through or into whose local jurisdiction that person or thing passed in the course of that journey or voyage.
Explanation
Section 203 extends the jurisdiction of courts to include those through whose local jurisdiction a person or thing involved in the offence has passed during their journey or voyage. This means that if an offence occurs while someone is traveling, the courts in the areas they pass through during their journey can also have jurisdiction to inquire into or try the offence.
Example
Consider a scenario where a passenger is traveling by train from Delhi to Mumbai. If a theft occurs on the train while it is passing through Uttar Pradesh, courts in Uttar Pradesh would have jurisdiction to try the case, in addition to courts in Delhi and Mumbai.
Significance
This provision ensures that individuals cannot evade justice simply by traveling through multiple jurisdictions. It facilitates the legal process by allowing offences committed during a journey or voyage to be addressed in any court the person or thing involved has passed through, ensuring accountability and the effective administration of justice.(
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