[ Everyday Law ]
The new BNSS lets the police run a 14-day preliminary inquiry before deciding whether to register an FIR — but only for cognizable offences punishable with three to seven years' imprisonment, and only with senior officer permission. The Lalita Kumari rule has been codified, and tightened.
2026-05-21 · 10 min read
[ Everyday Law ]
If a Station House Officer refuses to register an FIR for a cognizable offence, the law gives you three sequential escalations — the Superintendent of Police, the Magistrate, and the High Court. Each step is documentary, each step works.
2026-05-20 · 11 min read
[ Everyday Law ]
A Zero FIR is the FIR you can register at any police station — not just the one with territorial jurisdiction. The SHO has no legal ground to send you away. This guide explains when to demand a Zero FIR, exactly how the procedure works, and how to escalate if the station refuses.
2026-05-20 · 14 min read
[ Everyday Law ]
Registration of an FIR is mandatory the moment a cognizable offence is disclosed. Section 173 of the BNSS sets the procedure; Lalita Kumari binds the SHO; and if the station refuses, three written escalations exist — the SP, the Magistrate, and the High Court.
2026-05-20 · 13 min read