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UPSC Prelims 2026 GS Paper 1, question 62

Topic: Polity and governance

Q62

Which of the following statements about a Zero First Information Report (Zero FIR) under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 is/are correct ?

  1. A Zero FIR can be lodged at a police station, even though the place of commission of a cognizable/non-cognizable offence is outside the territorial jurisdiction of that police station.

  2. The Officer-in-Charge of the police station where a Zero FIR has been lodged may, with the permission of the competent authority, initiate a preliminary enquiry.

  3. Under Zero FIR, it is obligatory for the informant to furnish information electronically.

Select the answer using the code given below :

  1. (a) 1, 2 and 3
  2. (b) 2 and 3 only
  3. (c) 1 only
  4. (d) 2 onlyCorrect answer

Solution.

Answer: (d) 2 only

  1. Statement 1 is incorrect: Section 173(1) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 provides for lodging a Zero FIR outside territorial jurisdiction only for a cognizable offence, not a non-cognizable offence.
  2. Statement 2 is correct: under Section 173(3) of the BNSS, for cognizable offences punishable with imprisonment of 3 years or more but less than 7 years, the officer in charge of the police station may, with the prior permission of a Deputy Superintendent of Police, conduct a preliminary enquiry within 14 days.
  3. Statement 3 is incorrect: under Section 173(1), information may be given either orally or by electronic communication; electronic submission is optional, not obligatory.

Trap: If Statement 1 were read loosely as referring to cognizable offences generally while treating preliminary enquiry as restricted to the jurisdictional police station after transfer, option (c) 1 only is the competing reading.