BNS Sec 14–17 General Exception | Mistake of Fact/Law | Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita @thelegalbyteuk17
This video explains one of the most important parts of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023—General Exceptions under Section 14 to Section 17. These provisions form the foundation of criminal liability and help us understand when an act, even though it appears criminal, is not treated as an offence under law. In this lecture, we break down the meaning, purpose, and practical implications of General Exceptions in simple language useful for law students, judiciary aspirants, police trainees, UPSC candidates, and anyone studying the new criminal law of India. General Exceptions are based on the idea that “Actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea”, meaning an act is not criminal unless there is a guilty intention. These exceptions protect individuals who act in good faith, under legal authority, based on factual mistake, or under the belief that the law demands or justifies their actions. Section 14 BNS protects individuals who act because they are bound by law or because they mistakenly but honestly believe they are bound by law due to a mistake of fact, not law. This ensures public servants like police officers, soldiers, and officials can perform their legal duties without fear of criminal prosecution. Section 15 BNS protects judges acting judicially. Judges require independence and freedom to make decisions without fear of criminal liability. As long as judges act within judicial capacity and in good faith, they are protected. Section 16 BNS protects those who carry out court orders, such as police officers. Even if the order is later found invalid, actions done in good faith while executing that order are protected. Section 17 BNS protects acts that are justified by law, such as self-defence, citizen’s arrest, or actions taken to prevent harm. It also protects people who make an honest mistake of fact believing their actions are justified. In this video, you will learn the clear difference between mistake of fact vs. mistake of law, the difference between being bound by law vs. justified by law, and how these sections protect both public officials and ordinary citizens. This lecture is essential for anyone preparing for judiciary exams, CLAT PG, LL.B, LL.M, UPSC Law Optional, police exams, or any competitive exam based on new BNS, BNSS, and BSA laws. If you find this video helpful, don’t forget to like, share, comment, and subscribe. Your support helps us bring more high–quality content on BNS, BNSS, and BSA. / @thelegalbyteuk17 • STAGES OF CRIME I "Crime4 Stage –Intention... • Elements of Crime I Actus Reus, Mens Rea I... • Cognizable,Bailable & Compundable-what is ... • TYPES OF LAW|Substantive Law & Proedural Law BNS General Exceptions Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Section 14 BNS Section 15 BNS Section 16 BNS Section 17 Mistake of Fact BNS Mistake of Law BNS Bound by Law BNS Justified by Law BNS BNS lecture for judiciary criminal law general exceptions new criminal law India BNS 2023 explanation BNSS and BSA lectures criminal law for UPSC judiciary exam preparation CLAT PG criminal law BNS vs IPC Section 14 to 17 explained BNS law notes #bns #bns2023 #general #Section14to17 #bharatiyanyayasanhita #newcriminallaws #criminallaw #MistakeOfFact #MistakeOfLaw #lawlectures #judiciarypreparation #lawstudents #legaleducation #bnss2023 #bsa #lawstudent #judiciaryexams #judiciaryprep #law #legalknowledge
