Section 474: Power to commute sentence

Corresponding CrPC provision

As given in the correspondence table of the National Crime Records Bureau (Ministry of Home Affairs). Read both texts before relying on it. NCRB table

Leading cases

• Union of India v. V. Sriharan (2015)Decided on CrPC section 433Life imprisonment means imprisonment for the rest of the convict's life; by majority, constitutional courts may substitute death with a term beyond 14 years or whole life without remission; Section 435(1) consultation means concurrence.

Questions on this section

2 questions in 13 of our papers cite Section 474. Try these from the free papers:

1. 1. Under Section 474(b) of the BNSS, the appropriate Government may, without the consent of the person sentenced, commute a sentence of imprisonment for life to:

   A.fine only, of such amount as it may fixB.imprisonment for a term not less than seven yearsC.imprisonment for a term not less than fourteen yearsD.imprisonment for a term not exceeding fourteen years, or fine
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2. 2. Under Section 5 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 read with Section 474 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, the appropriate Government may, without the consent of the offender, commute a sentence of death to:

   A.imprisonment for lifeB.imprisonment for a term not less than seven yearsC.fineD.imprisonment for a term not less than three years
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