Section 292 BNSS: Report of Mutually Satisfactory Disposition to Be Submitted Before Court
Section 292 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 forms part of Chapter XXIII on plea bargaining. It deals with the Court's formal record after the meeting held under Section 291 to work out a mutually satisfactory disposition of the case.
- If a satisfactory disposition is reached, the Court must prepare a report recording it.
- The report must be signed by the presiding officer and all other persons who participated in the meeting.
- If no satisfactory disposition is reached, the Court must record that fact.
- The case then continues under the BNSS from the stage at which the application under Section 290(1) was filed.
Text of Section 292 BNSS, 2023
292. Report of mutually satisfactory disposition to be submitted before Court. Where in a meeting under section 291, a satisfactory disposition of the case has been worked out, the Court shall prepare a report of such disposition which shall be signed by the presiding officer of the Court and all other persons who participated in the meeting and if no such disposition has been worked out, the Court shall record such observation and proceed further in accordance with the provisions of this Sanhita from the stage the application under sub-section (1) of section 290 has been filed in such case.
Meaning and Scope of Section 292
Section 292 is a procedural provision within the plea bargaining framework. It does not itself decide the final sentence or other disposal of the case. Instead, it requires the Court to formally document the result of the meeting conducted under Section 291 BNSS.
A "mutually satisfactory disposition" is the outcome contemplated by the plea bargaining process under Sections 290 and 291. Under Section 290, an eligible accused may apply for plea bargaining, and where the Court is satisfied that the application is voluntary, time may be allowed for the parties to work out a mutually satisfactory disposition. Section 291 prescribes how the meeting for that purpose is to be conducted.
What the Court Must Do Under Section 292
| Situation | Requirement under Section 292 |
|---|---|
| A satisfactory disposition is worked out | The Court must prepare a report recording the disposition. |
| Report is prepared | It must be signed by the presiding officer of the Court and all other persons who participated in the meeting. |
| No satisfactory disposition is worked out | The Court must record that fact and continue the case under the BNSS from the stage at which the Section 290(1) application was filed. |
Connection With Sections 290, 291 and 293
Section 292 operates between the plea bargaining application and the final disposal of the case. Section 291 governs the meeting used to work out the disposition. Section 292 requires the Court to record the result. If a satisfactory disposition has been worked out, Section 293 then governs disposal of the case.
The statutory sequence is therefore: application for plea bargaining under Section 290, meeting and procedure under Section 291, report under Section 292, and disposal under Section 293 where a satisfactory disposition has been achieved.
Why the Signatures Matter
The statutory requirement that the report be signed by the presiding officer and all persons who participated in the meeting creates a formal court record of the disposition reached through the plea bargaining process. It also identifies the participating persons and records the outcome before the Court proceeds to the next statutory stage.
Position if the Plea Bargaining Meeting Fails
If the parties do not arrive at a satisfactory disposition, Section 292 does not permit the unsuccessful meeting to terminate the prosecution. The Court records the failure and the proceedings continue according to the BNSS from the stage at which the application under Section 290(1) was filed.
Commencement of the BNSS
The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 is Act No. 46 of 2023. The Central Government appointed 1 July 2024 as the date on which the provisions of the BNSS came into force, subject to the notified exception concerning the First Schedule entry relating to Section 106(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
Official Sources
Ministry of Home Affairs - New Criminal Laws
Official Gazette text - Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
Ministry of Home Affairs notification dated 23 February 2024 on commencement
Last reviewed: 11 September 2026.