The refusal of police to register an FIR due to territorial jurisdiction has been a longstanding issue in India. The new Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) addresses this directly in Section 173.
What is a Zero FIR?
A Zero FIR allows a victim to file a complaint at any police station, irrespective of the location of the crime. The FIR is given the number ‘0’ and is legally valid. The receiving station is then obligated to transfer the documents to the relevant jurisdictional station.
This ensures that immediate action—such as medical examination of victims or preservation of evidence—is not delayed.
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