Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
Section 300
Non-application of Chapter
Nothing in this Chapter shall apply to any juvenile or child as defined in section 2 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (2 of 2016).
Why this exists
India treats children in conflict with the law through a separate, welfare-focused juvenile justice system rather than the ordinary criminal process, aiming at reform rather than punishment. This provision keeps plea bargaining, a mechanism designed for adult offenders, entirely out of that separate system, ensuring children are never routed through adult-style negotiated sentencing.