ONE-LINER TIME-LIMIT POINTERS WITH PRECISE SECTION LINKS from Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNS-S, Procedural Code) – perfect for prelims & mains.
🔵 ARREST & PRODUCTION BEFORE MAGISTRATE
- Arrested person must be produced before Magistrate within 24 hours → Section 57.
- Arrested person cannot be detained more than 24 hours (excluding travel time) → Section 58.
- Police must inform relative/friend about arrest “as soon as practicable” → Section 50.
- Notice of appearance instead of arrest (when arrest not required) must be issued → Section 35(3).
🔵 INVESTIGATION TIME-LIMITS
- Police custody cannot exceed 14 days in whole during investigation → Section 187(3).
- Charge-sheet time limit 90 days (offence punishable with death/life/ ≥10 yrs) → Section 193(2)(i).
- Charge-sheet time limit 60 days (offence punishable with less than 10 years) → Section 193(2)(ii).
- Medical examination of rape victim report to be sent within 7 days to IO → Section 184(7).
- Where investigation not completed within 24 hours, reasons must be sent to Magistrate → Section 187(2).
🔵 PROCLAMATION & ATTACHMENT
- Proclaimed person must be given minimum 30 days to appear from date of publication → Section 83(1).
- Attachment of property of absconding person to remain for 6 months → Section 85(4).
- If proclaimed offender does not appear for 2 years, property may be forfeited absolutely → Section 92.
🔵 DOCUMENTS & COMMITTAL
- Supply of police report & all documents to accused within 14 days of production → Section 230.
- Records for Sessions trial must be committed without delay → Section 233.
🔵 SECURITY PROCEEDINGS
- Security proceedings must be completed within 6 months → Section 132(6).
- Security for keeping peace on conviction – up to 3 years → Section 126.
- Security for good behaviour – up to 1 year → Sections 128–131.
🔵 MAINTENANCE PROCEEDINGS
- Maintenance order to be enforced monthly → Section 144.
- Alteration in allowance can be applied anytime on change of circumstances → Section 145.
🔵 INQUIRY & TRIAL TIME-FRAMES
- Charges must be framed within 60 days from first hearing → Section 251(1).
- Trial to proceed “day-to-day” until witnesses examined → Section 258.
- Judgment must be delivered within 30 days of conclusion of arguments (extendable to 45 days) → Section 386.
- Copy of judgment to be given to accused immediately / within 3 days → Section 391.
🔵 PLEA BARGAINING
- Court to issue notice within 7 days of receiving plea bargaining application → Section 266(3).
- Plea bargaining process should generally conclude within 60 days → Section 266–272 (read together).
🔵 BAIL & UNDERTRIAL DETENTION
- Bail default period – 60/90 days (same as charge-sheet limit) → Section 479 read with Section 193.
- Undertrial maximum detention → Section 480:
- 6 months → offence punishable ≤ 1 year
- 1 year → offence punishable 1–7 years
- 18 months → offence punishable ≥ 7 years
- Bail bonds can be cancelled anytime on sufficient cause → Section 487.
🔵 APPEALS
- Appeal must be filed within 30 days, extendable for sufficient cause → Section 417(1).
- State appeal against inadequate sentence also within 30 days → Section 422.
- Appeal against acquittal within 60 days → Section 423.
🔵 LIMITATION FOR PROSECUTION
- Limitation 1 year → offence punishable ≤ 1 year → Section 516(2)(a).
- Limitation 3 years → punishment 1–3 years → Section 516(2)(b).
- Limitation 5 years → punishment 3–7 years → Section 516(2)(c).
- Limitation starts from the date offence comes to knowledge of aggrieved person → Section 517.
- Time spent due to court closure excluded → Section 519.
- Continuing offence → fresh limitation every moment → Section 520.
🔵 EXECUTION OF SENTENCES
- Mercy petition in death sentence to be filed within 30 days of communication → Section 469(3).
- Execution cannot take place within 7 days of rejection of mercy petition → Section 469(5).
- 14-day cooling period between rejection & hanging → Section 469(5).
🔵 PROPERTY PROCEEDINGS
- If no claimant appears within 6 months, property vests in Government → Section 502.
- Perishable property may be sold immediately → Section 503.
