Question

Under Section 173 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, if a police officer-in-charge determines that an investigation is not warranted because the case lacks sufficient gravity, they are legally obligated to notify the informant of this decision within:

• A. 30 days
• B. 24 hours
• C. 14 days
• D. 7 days

Hint:

Under BNSS Section 173, transparency is key. If the police close a file for lack of gravity, they have exactly 14 days to update the informant!

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Section 173 of the BNSS, 2023, grants police the discretion to conduct a preliminary inquiry for offenses punishable by more than 3 years but less than 7 years if the case lacks sufficient gravity, subject to strict timelines.

Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
Identify the specific timeline for informing the complainant about the decision to terminate or not proceed with an investigation.

Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
The BNSS has introduced provisions to ensure that complainants are not left in the dark when police decide not to pursue a full investigation due to a lack of gravity.
If the police officer-in-charge decides that no investigation is required, they must record the reasons and inform the informant.
This notification must reach the informant within a period of 14 days.

Step 4: Final Answer:
The mandatory notification period is 14 days, making (C) the correct answer.

Answer 2

The BNSS introduced a duty to keep informants updated even when the police decide against a full investigation. The question is testing whether you know the exact window given for that communication. Let's look at each timeframe.

1. 30 days: This period is longer than what the provision actually allows; a month's wait would defeat the purpose of promptly telling the informant where the case stands.
2. 24 hours: This is far too short for the kind of decision involved, which requires the officer to first assess the gravity of the case and record reasons before informing the informant. It does not match the timeline set by the provision.
3. 14 days: This is the period fixed by the provision. Once the officer-in-charge decides that the case does not warrant investigation because it lacks sufficient gravity, the informant must be notified of that decision within 14 days.
4. 7 days: This is shorter than the actual limit and does not correspond to the timeframe the provision specifies for this notification.

Among the given choices, only 14 days corresponds to the period fixed for informing the complainant that no investigation will follow.

Hence, the correct answer is 14 days.