THE BHARATIYA NYAYA SANHITA, 2023
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
CHAPTER I
PRELIMINARY
SECTIONS
- Short title, commencement and application.
- Definitions.
- General explanations.
CHAPTER II
OF PUNISHMENTS - Punishments.
- Commutation of sentence.
- Fractions of terms of punishment.
- Sentence may be (in certain cases of imprisonment) wholly or partly rigorous or simple.
- Amount of fine, liability in default of payment of fine, etc.
- Limit of punishment of offence made up of several offences.
- Punishment of person guilty of one of several offences, judgment stating that it is doubtful of which.
- Solitary confinement.
- Limit of solitary confinement.
- Enhanced punishment for certain offences after previous conviction.
CHAPTER III
GENERAL EXCEPTIONS - Act done by a person bound, or by mistake of fact believing himself bound, by law.
- Act of Judge when acting judicially.
- Act done pursuant to judgment or order of Court.
- Act done by a person justified, or by mistake of fact believing himself justified, by law.
- Accident in doing a lawful act.
- Act likely to cause harm, but done without criminal intent, and to prevent other harm.
- Act of a child under seven years of age.
- Act of a child above seven and under twelve years of age of immature understanding.
- Act of a person of unsound mind.
- Act of a person incapable of judgment by reason of intoxication caused against his will.
- Offence requiring a particular intent or knowledge committed by one who is intoxicated.
- Act not intended and not known to be likely to cause death or grievous hurt, done by consent.
- Act not intended to cause death, done by consent in good faith for person’s benefit.
- Act done in good faith for benefit of child or person of unsound mind, by, or by consent of guardian.
- Consent known to be given under fear or misconception.
- Exclusion of acts which are offences independently of harm caused.
- Act done in good faith for benefit of a person without consent.
- Communication made in good faith.
- Act to which a person is compelled by threats.
- Act causing slight harm.
Of right of private defence - Things done in private defence.
- Right of private defence of body and of property.
- Right of private defence against act of a person of unsound mind, etc.
- Acts against which there is no right of private defence.
- When right of private defence of body extends to causing death.
- When such right extends to causing any harm other than death.
- Commencement and continuance of right of private defence of body.
- When right of private defence of property extends to causing death.
- When such right extends to causing any harm other than death.
- Commencement and continuance of right of private defence of property.
- Right of private defence against deadly assault when there is risk of harm to innocent person.
CHAPTER IV
OF ABETMENT, CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY AND ATTEMPT
of abetment - Abetment of a thing.
- Abettor.
- Abetment in India of offences outside India.
- Abetment outside India for offence in India.
- Punishment of abetment if act abetted is committed in consequence and where no express provision is made for its punishment.
- Punishment of abetment if person abetted does act with different intention from that of abettor.
- Liability of abettor when one act abetted and different act done.
- Abettor when liable to cumulative punishment for act abetted and for act done.
- Liability of abettor for an effect caused by act abetted different from that intended by abettor.
- Abettor present when offence is committed.
- Abetment of offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life.
- Abetment of offence punishable with imprisonment.
- Abetting commission of offence by public or by more than ten persons.
- Concealing design to commit offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life.
- Public servant concealing design to commit offence which it is his duty to prevent.
- Concealing design to commit offence punishable with imprisonment.
Of criminal conspiracy - Criminal conspiracy.
Of attempt - Punishment for attempting to commit offences punishable with imprisonment for life or other imprisonment.
CHAPTER V
OF OFFENCES AGAINST WOMAN AND CHILD
Of sexual offences - Rape.
- Punishment for rape.
- Punishment for rape in certain cases.
- Punishment for causing death or resulting in persistent vegetative state of victim.
- Sexual intercourse by husband upon his wife during separation.
- Sexual intercourse by a person in authority.
- Sexual intercourse by employing deceitful means, etc.
- Gang rape.
- Punishment for repeat offenders.
- Disclosure of identity of victim of certain offences, etc.
- Printing or publishing any matter relating to Court proceedings without permission.
Of criminal force and assault against woman - Assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty.
- Sexual harassment.
- Assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe.
- Voyeurism.
- Stalking.
- Word, gesture or act intended to insult modesty of a woman.
Of offences relating to marriage - Dowry death.
- Cohabitation caused by man deceitfully inducing belief of lawful marriage.
- Marrying again during lifetime of husband or wife.
- Marriage ceremony fraudulently gone through without lawful marriage.
- Enticing or taking away or detaining with criminal intent a married woman.
- Husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty.
- Cruelty defined.
- Kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her marriage, etc.
Of causing miscarriage, etc. - Causing miscarriage.
- Causing miscarriage without woman’s consent.
- Death caused by act done with intent to cause miscarriage.
- Act done with intent to prevent child being born alive or to cause to die after birth.
- Causing death of quick unborn child by act amounting to culpable homicide.
Of offences against child - Exposure and abandonment of child under twelve years of age, by parent or person having care of it.
- Concealment of birth by secret disposal of dead body.
- Hiring, employing or engaging a child to commit an offence.
- Procuration of child.
- Kidnapping or abducting child under ten years of age with intent to steal from its person.
- Selling child for purposes of prostitution, etc.
- Buying child for purposes of prostitution, etc.
CHAPTER VI
OF OFFENCES AFFECTING THE HUMAN BODY
Of offences affecting life - Culpable homicide.
- Murder.
- Culpable homicide by causing death of person other than person whose death was intended.
- Punishment for murder.
- Punishment for murder by life-convict.
- Punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
- Causing death by negligence.
- Abetment of suicide of child or person of unsound mind.
- Abetment of suicide.
- Attempt to murder.
- Attempt to commit culpable homicide.
- Organised crime.
- Petty organised crime.
- Terrorist act.
Of hurt - Hurt.
- Voluntarily causing hurt.
- Grievous hurt.
- Voluntarily causing grievous hurt.
- Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means.
- Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to extort property, or to constrain to an illegal act.
- Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to extort confession, or to compel restoration of property.
- Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to deter public servant from his duty.
- Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt on provocation.
- Causing hurt by means of poison, etc., with intent to commit an offence.
- Voluntarily causing grievous hurt by use of acid, etc.
- Act endangering life or personal safety of others.
Of wrongful restraint and wrongful confinement - Wrongful restraint.
- Wrongful confinement.
Of criminal force and assault - Force.
- Criminal force.
- Assault.
- Punishment for assault or criminal force otherwise than on grave provocation.
- Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty.
- Assault or criminal force with intent to dishonour person, otherwise than on grave provocation.
- Assault or criminal force in attempt to commit theft of property carried by a person.
- Assault or criminal force in attempt to wrongfully confine a person.
- Assault or criminal force on grave provocation.
Of kidnapping, abduction, slavery and forced labour - Kidnapping.
- Abduction.
- Kidnapping or maiming a child for purposes of begging.
- Kidnapping or abducting in order to murder or for ransom, etc.
- Importation of girl or boy from foreign country.
- Wrongfully concealing or keeping in confinement, kidnapped or abducted person.
- Trafficking of person.
- Exploitation of a trafficked person.
- Habitual dealing in slaves.
- Unlawful compulsory labour.
CHAPTER VII
OF OFFENCES AGAINST THE STATE - Waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against Government of India.
- Conspiracy to commit offences punishable by section 147.
- Collecting arms, etc., with intention of waging war against Government of India.
- Concealing with intent to facilitate design to wage war.
- Assaulting President, Governor, etc., with intent to compel or restrain exercise of any lawful power.
- Act endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India.
- Waging war against Government of any foreign State at peace with Government of India.
- Committing depredation on territories of foreign State at peace with Government of India.
- Receiving property taken by war or depredation mentioned in sections 153 and 154.
- Public servant voluntarily allowing prisoner of State or war to escape.
- Public servant negligently suffering such prisoner to escape.
- Aiding escape of, rescuing or harbouring such prisoner.
CHAPTER VIII
OF OFFENCES RELATING TO THE ARMY, NAVY AND AIR FORCE - Abetting mutiny, or attempting to seduce a soldier, sailor or airman from his duty.
- Abetment of mutiny, if mutiny is committed in consequence thereof.
- Abetment of assault by soldier, sailor or airman on his superior officer, when in execution of his office.
- Abetment of such assault, if assault committed.
- Abetment of desertion of soldier, sailor or airman.
- Harbouring deserter.
- Deserter concealed on board merchant vessel through negligence of master.
- Abetment of act of insubordination by soldier, sailor or airman.
- Persons subject to certain Acts.
- Wearing garb or carrying token used by soldier, sailor or airman.
CHAPTER IX
OF OFFENCES RELATING TO ELECTIONS - Candidate, electoral right defined.
- Bribery.
- Undue influence at elections.
- Personation at elections.
- Punishment for bribery.
- Punishment for undue influence or personation at an election.
- False statement in connection with an election.
- Illegal payments in connection with an election.
- Failure to keep election accounts.
CHAPTER X
OF OFFENCES RELATING TO COIN, CURRENCY-NOTES, BANK-NOTES, AND GOVERNMENT STAMPS - Counterfeiting coin, Government stamps, currency-notes or bank-notes.
- Using as genuine, forged or counterfeit coin, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank-notes.
- Possession of forged or counterfeit coin, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank-notes.
- Making or possessing instruments or materials for forging or counterfeiting coin, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank-notes.
- Making or using documents resembling currency-notes or bank-notes.
- Effacing writing from substance bearing Government stamp, or removing from document a stamp used for it, with intent to cause loss to Government.
- Using Government stamp known to have been before used.
- Erasure of mark denoting that stamp has been used.
- Prohibition of fictitious stamps.
- Person employed in mint causing coin to be of different weight or composition from that fixed by law.
- Unlawfully taking coining instrument from mint.
CHAPTER XI
OF OFFENCES AGAINST THE PUBLIC TRANQUILLITY - Unlawful assembly.
- Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object.
- Rioting.
- Wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot-if rioting be committed; if not committed.
- Liability of owner, occupier, etc., of land on which an unlawful assembly or riot takes place.
- Affray.
- Assaulting or obstructing public servant when suppressing riot, etc.
- Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony.
- Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration.
CHAPTER XII
OF OFFENCES BY OR RELATING TO PUBLIC SERVANTS - Public servant disobeying law, with intent to cause injury to any person.
- Public servant disobeying direction under law.
- Punishment for non-treatment of victim.
- Public servant framing an incorrect document with intent to cause injury.
- Public servant unlawfully engaging in trade.
- Public servant unlawfully buying or bidding for property.
- Personating a public servant.
- Wearing garb or carrying token used by public servant with fraudulent intent.
CHAPTER XIII
OF CONTEMPTS OF THE LAWFUL AUTHORITY OF PUBLIC SERVANTS - Absconding to avoid service of summons or other proceeding.
- Preventing service of summons or other proceeding, or preventing publication thereof.
- Non-attendance in obedience to an order from public servant.
- Non-appearance in response to a proclamation under section 84 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.
- Omission to produce document or electronic record to public servant by person legally bound to produce it.
- Omission to give notice or information to public servant by person legally bound to give it.
- Furnishing false information.
- Refusing oath or affirmation when duly required by public servant to make it.
- Refusing to answer public servant authorised to question.
- Refusing to sign statement.
- False statement on oath or affirmation to public servant or person authorised to administer an oath or affirmation.
- False information, with intent to cause public servant to use his lawful power to injury of another person.
- Resistance to taking of property by lawful authority of a public servant.
- Obstructing sale of property offered for sale by authority of public servant.
- Illegal purchase or bid for property offered for sale by authority of public servant.
- Obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions.
- Omission to assist public servant when bound by law to give assistance.
- Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant.
- Threat of injury to public servant.
- Threat of injury to induce person to refrain from applying for protection to public servant.
- Attempt to commit suicide to compel or restrain exercise of lawful power.
CHAPTER XIV
OF FALSE EVIDENCE AND OFFENCES AGAINST PUBLIC JUSTICE - Giving false evidence.
- Fabricating false evidence.
- Punishment for false evidence.
- Giving or fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction of capital offence.
- Giving or fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction of offence punishable with imprisonment for life or imprisonment.
- Threatening any person to give false evidence.
- Using evidence known to be false.
- Issuing or signing false certificate.
- Using as true a certificate known to be false.
- False statement made in declaration which is by law receivable as evidence.
- Using as true such declaration knowing it to be false.
- Causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender.
- Intentional omission to give information of offence by person bound to inform.
- Giving false information respecting an offence committed.
- Destruction of document or electronic record to prevent its production as evidence.
- False personation for purpose of act or proceeding in suit or prosecution.
- Fraudulent removal or concealment of property to prevent its seizure as forfeited or in execution.
- Fraudulent claim to property to prevent its seizure as forfeited or in execution.
- Fraudulently suffering decree for sum not due.
- Dishonestly making false claim in Court.
- Fraudulently obtaining decree for sum not due.
- False charge of offence made with intent to injure.
- Harbouring offender.
- Taking gift, etc., to screen an offender from punishment.
- Offering gift or restoration of property in consideration of screening offender.
- Taking gift to help to recover stolen property, etc.
- Harbouring offender who has escaped from custody or whose apprehension has been ordered.
- Penalty for harbouring robbers or dacoits.
- Public servant disobeying direction of law with intent to save person from punishment or property from forfeiture.
- Public servant framing incorrect record or writing with intent to save person from punishment or property from forfeiture.
- Public servant in judicial proceeding corruptly making report, etc., contrary to law.
- Commitment for trial or confinement by person having authority who knows that he is acting contrary to law.
- Intentional omission to apprehend on part of public servant bound to apprehend.
- Intentional omission to apprehend on part of public servant bound to apprehend person under sentence or lawfully committed.
- Escape from confinement or custody negligently suffered by public servant.
- Resistance or obstruction by a person to his lawful apprehension.
- Resistance or obstruction to lawful apprehension of another person.
- Omission to apprehend, or sufferance of escape, on part of public servant, in cases not otherwise provided for.
- Resistance or obstruction to lawful apprehension or escape or rescue in cases not otherwise provided for.
- Violation of condition of remission of punishment.
- Intentional insult or interruption to public servant sitting in judicial proceeding.
- Personation of assessor.
- Failure by person released on bail bond or bond to appear in Court.
CHAPTER XV
OF OFFENCES AFFECTING THE PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY, CONVENIENCE,
DECENCY AND MORALS - Public nuisance.
- Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life.
- Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life.
- Disobedience to quarantine rule.
- Adulteration of food or drink intended for sale.
- Sale of noxious food or drink.
- Adulteration of drugs.
- Sale of adulterated drugs.
- Sale of drug as a different drug or preparation.
- Fouling water of public spring or reservoir.
- Making atmosphere noxious to health.
- Rash driving or riding on a public way.
- Rash navigation of vessel.
- Exhibition of false light, mark or buoy.
- Conveying person by water for hire in unsafe or overloaded vessel.
- Danger or obstruction in public way or line of navigation.
- Negligent conduct with respect to poisonous substance.
- Negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter.
- Negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance.
- Negligent conduct with respect to machinery.
- Negligent conduct with respect to pulling down, repairing or constructing buildings, etc.
- Negligent conduct with respect to animal.
- Punishment for public nuisance in cases not otherwise provided for.
- Continuance of nuisance after injunction to discontinue.
- Sale, etc., of obscene books, etc.
- Sale, etc., of obscene objects to child.
- Obscene acts and songs.
- Keeping lottery office.
CHAPTER XVI
OF OFFENCES RELATING TO RELIGION - Injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult religion of any class.
- Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs.
- Disturbing religious assembly.
- Trespassing on burial places, etc.
- Uttering words, etc., with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings of any person.
CHAPTER XVII
OF OFFENCES AGAINST PROPERTY
Of theft - Theft.
- Snatching.
- Theft in a dwelling house, or means of transportation or place of worship, etc.
- Theft by clerk or servant of property in possession of master.
- Theft after preparation made for causing death, hurt or restraint in order to committing of theft.
Of extortion - Extortion.
Of robbery and dacoity - Robbery.
- Dacoity.
- Robbery, or dacoity, with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt.
- Attempt to commit robbery or dacoity when armed with deadly weapon.
- Punishment for belonging to gang of robbers, etc.
Of criminal misappropriation of property - Dishonest misappropriation of property.
- Dishonest misappropriation of property possessed by deceased person at the time of his death.
Of criminal breach of trust - Criminal breach of trust.
Of receiving stolen property - Stolen property.
Of cheating - Cheating.
- Cheating by personation.
Of fraudulent deeds and dispositions of property - Dishonest or fraudulent removal or concealment of property to prevent distribution among creditors.
- Dishonestly or fraudulently preventing debt being available for creditors.
- Dishonest or fraudulent execution of deed of transfer containing false statement of consideration.
- Dishonest or fraudulent removal or concealment of property.
Of mischief - Mischief.
- Mischief by killing or maiming animal.
- Mischief by injury, inundation, fire or explosive substance, etc.
- Mischief with intent to destroy or make unsafe a rail, aircraft, decked vessel or one of twenty tons burden.
- Punishment for intentionally running vessel aground or ashore with intent to commit theft, etc.
Of criminal trespass - Criminal trespass and house-trespass.
- House-trespass and hous-ebreaking.
- Punishment for house-trespass or house-breaking.
- House-trespass in order to commit offence.
- House-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint.
- Dishonestly breaking open receptacle containing property.
CHAPTER XVIII
OF OFFENCES RELATING TO DOCUMENTS AND TO PROPERTY MARKS - Making a false document.
- Forgery.
- Forgery of record of Court or of public register, etc.
- Forgery of valuable security, will, etc.
- Having possession of document described in section 337 or section 338, knowing it to be
forged and intending to use it as genuine. - Forged document or electronic record and using it as genuine.
- Making or possessing counterfeit seal, etc., with intent to commit forgery punishable under
section 338. - Counterfeiting device or mark used for authenticating documents described in section 338,
or possessing counterfeit marked material. - Fraudulent cancellation, destruction, etc., of will, authority to adopt, or valuable security.
- Falsification of accounts.
Of property marks - Property mark.
- Tampering with property mark with intent to cause injury.
- Counterfeiting a property mark.
- Making or possession of any instrument for counterfeiting a property mark.
- Selling goods marked with a counterfeit property mark.
- Making a false mark upon any receptacle containing goods.
CHAPTER XIX
OF CRIMINAL INTIMIDATION, INSULT, ANNOYANCE, DEFAMATION, ETC. - Criminal intimidation.
- Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace.
- Statements conducing to public mischief.
- Act caused by inducing person to believe that he will be rendered an object of Divine displeasure.
- Misconduct in public by a drunken person.
Of defamation - Defamation.
Of breach of contract to attend on and supply wants of helpless person - Breach of contract to attend on and supply wants of helpless person.
CHAPTER XX
REPEAL AND SAVINGS - Repeal and savings.