Bare Acts & Statutes of Indian Law
Explore important Central Acts and statutory provisions relevant for Judiciary and APO examinations. Access Acts subject-wise, understand their structure, identify important provisions and distinguish the present criminal laws from the earlier IPC, CrPC and Evidence Act framework.
Featured: New Criminal Laws
The three principal new criminal laws came into force from 1 July 2024.
⚖️Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
In force: 1 July 2024The principal current general law defining offences and punishments. It replaced the IPC framework from 1 July 2024, subject to savings.
Old → New Mapping
📘 Purpose
The principal current general law defining offences and punishments. It replaced the IPC framework from 1 July 2024, subject to savings.
📑 Important Areas
- Punishments
- General Exceptions
- Abetment and conspiracy
- Offences against women and children
- Homicide and bodily offences
- Offences against property
- Offences against the State
🔨Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
In force: 1 July 2024The current general procedural law governing investigation, arrest, inquiry, trial, bail, appeal and related criminal proceedings.
Old → New Mapping
📘 Purpose
The current general procedural law governing investigation, arrest, inquiry, trial, bail, appeal and related criminal proceedings.
📑 Important Areas
- Criminal Courts
- Arrest
- FIR and investigation
- Process and jurisdiction
- Charge and trial
- Bail and bonds
- Appeal and revision
📄Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023
In force: 1 July 2024The present general law governing relevancy, admissibility, proof, electronic records, witnesses and evidentiary presumptions.
Old → New Mapping
📘 Purpose
The present general law governing relevancy, admissibility, proof, electronic records, witnesses and evidentiary presumptions.
📑 Important Areas
- Relevancy of facts
- Admissions and confessions
- Dying declarations
- Documentary evidence
- Electronic records
- Burden and presumptions
- Witness examination
Browse Acts by Subject
Filter the statutory library by subject or search by Act, topic or provision.
Constitution of India
The supreme constitutional framework governing the Union, States, Fundamental Rights, constitutional institutions and the judiciary.
Constitution of India
📑 Important Areas
- Preamble
- Fundamental Rights
- Directive Principles
- Fundamental Duties
- Union and State institutions
- Judiciary
- Federal distribution of powers
- Emergency provisions
- Constitutional amendment
🏛️ Official Source
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Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
The principal current general law defining offences and punishments. It replaced the IPC framework from 1 July 2024, subject to savings.
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
📑 Important Areas
- Punishments
- General Exceptions
- Abetment and conspiracy
- Offences against women and children
- Homicide and bodily offences
- Offences against property
- Offences against the State
🏛️ Official Source
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Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
The current general procedural law governing investigation, arrest, inquiry, trial, bail, appeal and related criminal proceedings.
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
📑 Important Areas
- Criminal Courts
- Arrest
- FIR and investigation
- Process and jurisdiction
- Charge and trial
- Bail and bonds
- Appeal and revision
🏛️ Official Source
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Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023
The present general law governing relevancy, admissibility, proof, electronic records, witnesses and evidentiary presumptions.
Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023
📑 Important Areas
- Relevancy of facts
- Admissions and confessions
- Dying declarations
- Documentary evidence
- Electronic records
- Burden and presumptions
- Witness examination
🏛️ Official Source
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Code of Civil Procedure, 1908
The principal procedural code governing institution, trial, adjudication, execution and appeals in civil litigation.
Code of Civil Procedure, 1908
📑 Important Areas
- Jurisdiction of civil courts
- Res judicata
- Institution of suits
- Pleadings
- Temporary injunctions
- Judgment and decree
- Execution
- Appeals, review and revision
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Limitation Act, 1963
Prescribes limitation periods for suits, appeals and applications and contains rules governing exclusion, extension and computation of time.
Limitation Act, 1963
📑 Important Areas
- Bar of limitation
- Condonation of delay
- Legal disability
- Exclusion of time
- Acknowledgment
- Effect on property rights
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Specific Relief Act, 1963
Deals with specific enforcement of civil rights through remedies such as specific performance, injunction, declaration and cancellation.
Specific Relief Act, 1963
📑 Important Areas
- Recovery of possession
- Specific performance
- Substituted performance
- Rectification
- Rescission
- Cancellation
- Declaratory decrees
- Injunctions
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Court-Fees Act, 1870
Contains the statutory framework concerning court-fee liability on specified judicial documents and proceedings.
Court-Fees Act, 1870
📑 Important Areas
- Documents chargeable with court fee
- Valuation for fee purposes
- Plaints and appeals
- Refund and deficiency issues
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Suits Valuation Act, 1887
Deals with valuation of specified suits, particularly for purposes of court jurisdiction and related procedural consequences.
Suits Valuation Act, 1887
📑 Study Connection
- Read it with the applicable Court Fees law
- Check State amendments
- Relate valuation to pecuniary jurisdiction
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Transfer of Property Act, 1882
Provides the principal rules governing voluntary transfers of property between living persons.
Transfer of Property Act, 1882
📑 Important Areas
- Transferability
- Conditions and elections
- Ostensible ownership
- Lis pendens
- Part performance
- Sale
- Mortgage
- Lease
- Exchange and gift
- Actionable claims
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Registration Act, 1908
Governs compulsory and optional registration of specified documents and the legal consequences of registration or non-registration.
Registration Act, 1908
📑 Important Areas
- Compulsory registration
- Optional registration
- Time and place for registration
- Presentation of documents
- Effect of registration
- Effect of non-registration
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Indian Easements Act, 1882
Deals with easements and licences, including acquisition, incidents, disturbance and extinction of easementary rights.
Indian Easements Act, 1882
📑 Important Areas
- Dominant and servient heritage
- Easement of necessity
- Prescription
- Customary easements
- Suspension and extinction
- Licences
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Indian Stamp Act, 1899
Governs stamp duty on specified instruments and consequences of insufficiently stamped documents.
Indian Stamp Act, 1899
📑 Important Areas
- Chargeability of instruments
- Stamp duty
- Impounding
- Admissibility
- State amendments and schedules
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Indian Contract Act, 1872
The foundational statute governing contracts, enforceability, consent, breach and several forms of special contractual relationship.
Indian Contract Act, 1872
📑 Important Areas
- Proposal and acceptance
- Consideration
- Competency
- Free consent
- Void agreements
- Contingent contracts
- Performance
- Breach and damages
- Indemnity
- Guarantee
- Bailment
- Pledge
- Agency
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Sale of Goods Act, 1930
Regulates contracts for sale of goods, transfer of property in goods, conditions, warranties and rights of unpaid sellers.
Sale of Goods Act, 1930
📑 Important Areas
- Sale and agreement to sell
- Conditions and warranties
- Transfer of property and title
- Performance
- Rights of unpaid seller
- Auction sale
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Indian Partnership Act, 1932
Governs partnership relationships, mutual rights and liabilities, registration of firms and dissolution.
Indian Partnership Act, 1932
📑 Important Areas
- Definition of partnership
- Mutual agency
- Partnership property
- Authority of partners
- Admission and retirement
- Registration
- Dissolution
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Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881
Governs promissory notes, bills of exchange and cheques, including statutory liability relating to cheque dishonour.
Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881
📑 Important Areas
- Promissory note
- Bill of exchange
- Cheque
- Holder and holder in due course
- Dishonour
- Sections 138 onwards
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Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996
Provides the framework for domestic arbitration, international commercial arbitration, enforcement of awards and conciliation.
Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996
📑 Important Areas
- Arbitration agreement
- Reference
- Appointment of arbitrators
- Jurisdiction
- Interim measures
- Award
- Section 34 challenge
- Enforcement
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Hindu Marriage Act, 1955
Governs marriage, restitution, judicial separation, nullity, divorce and associated matrimonial relief among persons to whom the Act applies.
Hindu Marriage Act, 1955
📑 Important Areas
- Conditions of marriage
- Void and voidable marriages
- Restitution
- Judicial separation
- Divorce
- Maintenance pendente lite
- Permanent alimony
- Custody
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Hindu Succession Act, 1956
Governs intestate succession and inheritance among Hindus and contains the statutory coparcenary framework as amended.
Hindu Succession Act, 1956
📑 Important Areas
- Coparcenary rights
- Succession to male Hindus
- Succession to female Hindus
- Class I and II heirs
- General rules
- Testamentary succession
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Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956
Regulates valid Hindu adoptions and statutory maintenance rights of wives, children, aged parents and specified dependants.
Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956
📑 Important Areas
- Capacity to adopt
- Capacity to give in adoption
- Persons capable of being adopted
- Conditions of valid adoption
- Maintenance obligations
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Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956
Deals with natural guardianship and powers concerning Hindu minors and their property.
Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956
📑 Important Areas
- Natural guardians
- Powers of natural guardian
- De facto guardians
- Welfare of the minor
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Special Marriage Act, 1954
Provides a statutory civil form of marriage and related matrimonial relief, irrespective of traditional personal-law marriage ceremonies.
Special Marriage Act, 1954
📑 Important Areas
- Conditions for solemnisation
- Notice and registration
- Consequences of marriage
- Nullity
- Judicial separation
- Divorce
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Family Courts Act, 1984
Provides for establishment and functioning of Family Courts with emphasis on conciliation and specialised family adjudication.
Family Courts Act, 1984
📑 Important Areas
- Establishment of Family Courts
- Jurisdiction
- Duty to attempt settlement
- Representation
- Evidence
- Appeals
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Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005
Creates civil and protective remedies for women subjected to domestic violence within covered domestic relationships.
Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005
📑 Important Areas
- Protection orders
- Residence orders
- Monetary relief
- Custody orders
- Compensation
- Protection Officers
- Magistrate procedure
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Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961
Prohibits giving, taking and demanding dowry and regulates connected matrimonial property obligations.
Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961
📑 Important Areas
- Definition of dowry
- Penalty for giving or taking dowry
- Penalty for demanding dowry
- Property received in connection with marriage
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Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012
Provides a specialised framework for sexual offences against children, child-sensitive procedure and Special Courts.
Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012
📑 Important Areas
- Penetrative sexual assault
- Aggravated penetrative sexual assault
- Sexual assault
- Aggravated sexual assault
- Sexual harassment
- Pornographic offences
- Special Courts
- Statutory presumptions
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Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989
Creates special offences, procedural safeguards, Special Courts and preventive mechanisms concerning atrocities against members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989
📑 Important Areas
- Section 3 offences
- Enhanced punishment
- Presumptions
- Special / Exclusive Special Courts
- Special Public Prosecutors
- Preventive action
- Anticipatory bail restrictions
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Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985
Creates stringent offences and procedural rules relating to narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and controlled substances.
Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985
📑 Important Areas
- Quantity-based punishment
- Search and seizure
- Section 37 bail
- Sections 42 and 50 safeguards
- Confiscation
- Presumptions
- Evidence
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Arms Act, 1959
Regulates acquisition, possession, manufacture, sale, transport and use of arms and ammunition.
Arms Act, 1959
📑 Important Areas
- Definitions
- Licence requirements
- Prohibited arms
- Grant and refusal of licence
- Suspension and revocation
- Search and seizure
- Penal provisions
🏛️ Official Source
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Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988
Provides the principal criminal-law framework concerning bribery and specified corruption offences involving public servants.
Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988
📑 Important Areas
- Public servant bribery
- Undue advantage
- Bribe-giver liability
- Criminal misconduct
- Sanction
- Statutory presumption
- Disproportionate assets
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Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015
Provides the statutory framework for children in conflict with law and children in need of care and protection.
Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015
📑 Important Areas
- Juvenile Justice Boards
- Child Welfare Committees
- Age determination
- Preliminary assessment
- Rehabilitation
- Adoption
- Child-care institutions
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Information Technology Act, 2000
Provides legal recognition to electronic transactions and creates a statutory framework for specified cyber offences, intermediaries and digital regulation.
Information Technology Act, 2000
📑 Important Areas
- Identity theft
- Cheating by personation
- Violation of privacy
- Cyber terrorism
- Obscene electronic content
- Child sexual material
- Interception and blocking
- Protected systems
- CERT-In
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Right to Information Act, 2005
Provides a statutory right to seek information from public authorities, subject to specified exemptions and procedural requirements.
Right to Information Act, 2005
📑 Important Areas
- Right to information
- Public authority obligations
- Public Information Officers
- Exemptions
- Appeals
- Information Commissions
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Contempt of Courts Act, 1971
Defines and regulates civil and criminal contempt and provides procedural and penal rules relating to contempt proceedings.
Contempt of Courts Act, 1971
📑 Important Areas
- Civil contempt
- Criminal contempt
- Innocent publication
- Fair criticism
- Truth as defence
- Cognizance
- Limitation
- Punishment
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Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987
Establishes legal-services institutions and the statutory framework for free legal services and Lok Adalats.
Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987
📑 Important Areas
- Eligibility for legal services
- NALSA
- State Authorities
- District Authorities
- Lok Adalats
- Permanent Lok Adalats
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Consumer Protection Act, 2019
Provides remedies for consumers against defects, deficiency in services, unfair practices and other specified consumer harms.
Consumer Protection Act, 2019
📑 Important Areas
- Consumer rights
- Consumer Commissions
- Unfair trade practices
- Product liability
- Mediation
- Central Consumer Protection Authority
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Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985
Provides the statutory framework for Administrative Tribunals dealing principally with specified public-service matters.
Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985
📑 Important Areas
- Administrative Tribunals
- Service matters
- Jurisdiction
- Procedure
- Article 323A connection
- Judicial review context
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Indian Penal Code, 1860
The former general substantive criminal code. It remains important for older offences, saved matters and precedent research.
Indian Penal Code, 1860
📑 Why It Still Matters
- Older offences and saved matters
- Most classic criminal precedents were decided under IPC
- Map old provisions to BNS before relying on precedent
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Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973
The earlier general criminal procedure code. It remains relevant for saved proceedings and interpretation of older precedents.
Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973
📑 Why It Still Matters
- Saved proceedings
- Older FIR, arrest, bail and trial precedents
- Map CrPC provisions to BNSS before application
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Indian Evidence Act, 1872
The former general law of evidence. Its case law remains central to understanding many corresponding BSA provisions.
Indian Evidence Act, 1872
📑 Why It Still Matters
- Older evidence precedents
- Admissions and confessions
- Dying declarations
- Burden and presumptions
- Electronic evidence history
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Old Law → New Law
| Earlier Law | Present Law | Practical Use |
|---|---|---|
| Indian Penal Code, 1860 | Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 | Compare the old section with the corresponding BNS provision before relying on an IPC-era precedent. |
| Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 | Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 | Check whether the procedural language has been retained, modified or replaced before applying older CrPC case law. |
| Indian Evidence Act, 1872 | Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 | Map the earlier provision to the BSA and verify whether the rule or wording has materially changed. |
How to Read a Bare Act Effectively
Understand the object and broad scope.
Defined expressions control the Act.
Know the scheme before memorising sections.
Mark frequently tested sections.
Exceptions and explanations matter.
Always check the latest official text.
Official Source & Statutory Verification
JUDEX Tutorials provides this page as an educational statutory reference for students. Before relying upon any provision, always verify the latest statutory text, commencement, amendments, notifications and applicable State modifications from the official source.