Spectroscopic investigation of the $^{196}$Hg (Z=80, N=116) was carried out using the Indian National Gamma Array (INGA) setup at the Variable Energy Cyclotron Centre (VECC), Kolkata. Analysis of the acquired data led to the identification of new $gamma$-ray transitions and levels in the excitation pattern of the nucleus along with the spin-parity assignments thereof. The latter were either previously absent or had been tentatively identified. Theoretical interpretation of the level structure obtained from these efforts can be pursued with appropriate model calculations.