Thu Dec 18 23:12:22 UTC 2025: Summary:

The Bombay High Court has strongly criticized the Maharashtra Police for failing to comply with the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, which mandates the completion of preliminary inquiries within 14 days. The court highlighted instances where police were acting in disregard of the law, conducting inquiries leisurely and summoning citizens under obscure references. The court directed senior officers and the Union Home Ministry to explain the lapses.

News Article:

Bombay High Court Slams Maharashtra Police for BNSS Non-Compliance

Mumbai, December 19, 2025 – The Bombay High Court has issued a stern rebuke to the Maharashtra Police for failing to adhere to the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, which replaced the Criminal Procedure Code and came into effect on July 1, 2024. The BNSS mandates that preliminary inquiries be completed within 14 days.

A Division Bench of Justices A.S. Gadkari and Ranjitsinha Raja Bhonsale, presiding over three separate petitions, accused the police of acting in “utter disregard to the mandate of law.” The court highlighted numerous cases where inquiries stretched on for months, defying the BNSS’s stipulated timeline. They directed senior officers and the Union Home Ministry to provide explanations for these lapses.

The court also expressed concern over Mumbai Police summoning citizens under vague references from the Maharashtra Police Manual, questioning the legality of such practices under the BNSS.

Advocates representing the petitioners argued that the police’s non-compliance with the BNSS was causing harassment and undermining the law’s intent.

The court has scheduled a hearing for December 19 to further address the matter and seek clarification from relevant authorities. This is a developing story.

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