BNSS Section 515 — Commencement of period of limitation

Summary

The time limit for starting a legal case against an offender begins on the date the offence happened. If the person who was harmed or a police officer did not know about the offence, the time starts on the first day that either of them found out about it, whichever is earlier. If the offender’s identity was not known, the time starts on the first day that the harmed person or the investigating police officer learned who the offender was, whichever is earlier. When counting this time limit, the day on which the period starts is not counted.

Official Text

(1) The period of limitation, in relation to an offender, shall commence,—

(a) on the date of the offence; or

(b) where the commission of the offence was not known to the person aggrieved by the offence or to any police officer, the first day on which such offence comes to the knowledge of such person or to any police officer, whichever is earlier; or

(c) where it is not known by whom the offence was committed, the first day on which the identity of the offender is known to the person aggrieved by the offence or to the police officer making investigation into the offence, whichever is earlier.

(2) In computing the said period, the day from which such period is to be computed shall be excluded.

Related Judgments

• SC (2025) Vol.5 p.730 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
• SC (2025) Vol.6 p.545 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
• SC (2024) Vol.7 p.979 — Supreme Court of India (2024)
• .. Petitioner/Accused No.12 vs The State of Tamilnadu, — Madras High Court ()
• SC (2025) Vol.2 p.1588 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
• SC (2025) Vol.1 p.1469 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
• SC (2025) Vol.3 p.1309 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
• SC (2025) Vol.11 p.291 — Supreme Court of India (2025)

Old <-> New Code Mapping

• CrPC §469 — Commencement of period of limitation