Under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, benefits of Plea Bargaining cannot be given to an…

Under s.289(1) BNSS (formerly s.265A(1) CrPC), plea bargaining is not available where the "offence is committed against a child" or a woman, or affects the socio-economic condition of the country. The BNSS has dropped the CrPC words "below the age of fourteen years", so "child" takes its BNS meaning of a person below eighteen years (s.2(2) BNSS read with s.2(3) BNS). Offences punishable with fine only or with imprisonment below seven years remain eligible unless another exclusion applies.