Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
Section 285
Procedure for summary trials
(1) In trials under this Chapter, the procedure specified in this Sanhita for the trial of summons-case shall be followed except as hereinafter mentioned.
(2) No sentence of imprisonment for a term exceeding three months shall be passed in the case of any conviction under this Chapter.
Why this exists
Because summary trials skip many of the formalities of a full trial to save time, the law caps the punishment low. This protects the accused: since the process is quicker and less detailed, the consequences allowed under it must also be limited, keeping the shortcut proportionate and fair.