Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Sections

Section 1 – Short title, commencement and application

Section 2 – Definitions

Section 3 – General explanations

Section 4 – Punishments

Section 5 – Commutation of sentence

Section 6 – Fractions of terms of punishment

Section 7 – Sentence may be (in certain cases of imprisonment) wholly or partly rigorous or simple

Section 8 – Amount of fine, liability in default of payment of fine, etc.

Section 9 – Limit of punishment of offence made up of several offences

Section 10 – Punishment of person guilty of one of several offences, the judgment stating that it is doubtful of which

Section 11 – Solitary confinement.

Section 12 – Limit of solitary confinement

Section 13 – Enhanced punishment for certain offences after previous conviction.

Section 14 – Act done by a person bound, or by mistake of fact believing himself bound, by law

Section 15 – Act of Judge when acting judicially.

Section 16 – Act done pursuant to the judgment or order of Court.

Section 17 – Act done by a person justified, or by mistake of fact believing himself, justified, by law

Section 18 – Accident in doing a lawful act.

Section 19 – Act likely to cause harm, but done without criminal intent, and to prevent other harm

Section 20 – Act of a child under seven years of age

Section 21 – Act of a child above seven and under twelve of immature understanding

Section 22 – Act of a person of unsound mind

Section 23 – Act of a person incapable of judgment by reason of intoxication caused against his will.

Section 24 – Offence requiring a particular intent or knowledge committed by one who is intoxicated

Section 25 – Act not intended and not known to be likely to cause death or grievous hurt, done by consent

Section 26 – Act not intended to cause death, done by consent in good faith for personâ€™s benefit

Section 27 – Act done in good faith for benefit of child or person with unsound mind, by or by consent of guardian.

Section 28 – Consent known to be given under fear or misconception.

Section 29 – Exclusion of acts which are offences independently of harm caused.

Section 30 – Act done in good faith for benefit of a person without consent

Section 31 – Communication made in good faith.

Section 32 – Act to which a person compelled by threats

Section 33 – Act causing slight harm.

Section 34 – Things done in private defence.

Section 35 – Right of private defence of the body and of property.

Section 36 – Right of private defence against the act of a person with unsound mind, etc

Section 37 – Acts against which there is no right of private defence.

Section 38 – When the right of private defence of the body extends to causing death.

Section 39 – When such right extends to causing any harm other than death.

Section 40 – Commencement and continuance of the right of private defence of the body.

Section 41 – When the right of private defence of property extends to causing death.

Section 42 – When such right extends to causing any harm other than death.

Section 43 – Commencement and continuance of the right of private defence of property.

Section 44 – Right of private defence against deadly assault when there is risk of harm to innocent person.

Section 45 – Abetment of a thing.

Section 46 – Abettor.

Section 47 – Abetment in India of offences outside India.

Section 48 – Abetment outside India for offence in India.

Section 49 – Punishment of abetment if the act abetted is committed in consequence and where no express provision is made for its punishment.

Section 50 – Punishment of abetment if person abetted does act with different intention from that of abettor.

Section 51 – Liability of abettor when one act abetted and different act done.

Section 52 – Abettor when liable to cumulative punishment for act abetted and for act done.

Section 53 – Liability of abettor for an effect caused by the act abetted different from that intended by the abettor.

Section 54 – Abettor present when offence is committed.

Section 55 – Abetment of offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life.

Section 56 – Abetment of offence punishable with imprisonment.

Section 57 – Abetting commission of offence by the public or by more than ten persons.

Section 58 – Concealing design to commit offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life.

Section 59 – Public servant concealing design to commit offence which it is his duty to prevent.

Section 60 – Concealing design to commit offence punishable with imprisonment.

Section 61 – Criminal conspiracy.

Section 62 – Punishment for attempting to commit offences punishable with imprisonment for life or other imprisonment.

Section 63 – Rape.

Section 64 – Punishment for rape.

Section 65 – Punishment for rape in certain cases.

Section 66 – Punishment for causing death or resulting in persistent vegetative state of victim.

Section 67 – Sexual intercourse by husband upon his wife during separation.

Section 68 – Sexual intercourse by a person in authority.

Section 69 – Sexual intercourse by employing deceitful means etc.

Section 70 – Gang rape.

Section 71 – Punishment for repeat offenders.

Section 72 – Disclosure of identity of the victim of certain offences, etc.

Section 73 – Printing or publishing any matter relating to Court proceedings without permission.

Section 74 – Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty

Section 75 – Sexual harassment.

Section 76 – Assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe

Section 77 – Voyeurism.

Section 78 – Stalking.

Section 79 – Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman.

Section 80 – Dowry death.

Section 81 – Cohabitation caused by a man deceitfully inducing a belief of lawful marriage.

Section 82 – Marrying again during lifetime of husband or wife.

Section 83 – Marriage ceremony fraudulently gone through without lawful marriage.

Section 84 – Enticing or taking away or detaining with criminal intent a married woman.

Section 85 – Husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty.

Section 86 – Cruelty defined.

Section 87 – Kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her marriage, etc.

Section 88 – Causing miscarriage.

Section 89 – Causing miscarriage without womanâ€™s consent.

Section 90 – Death caused by act done with intent to cause miscarriage.

Section 91 – Act done with intent to prevent child being born alive or to cause it to die after birth.

Section 92 – Causing death of quick unborn child by act amounting to culpable homicide.

Section 93 – Exposure and abandonment of child under twelve years, by parent or person having care of it.

Section 94 – Concealment of birth by secret disposal of dead body.

Section 95 – Hiring, employing or engaging a child to commit an offence.

Section 96 – Procuration of child.

Section 97 – Kidnapping or abducting child under ten years with intent to steal from its person.

Section 98 – Selling child for purposes of prostitution, etc.

Section 99 – Buying child for purposes of prostitution, etc.

Section 100 – Culpable homicide.

Section 101 – Murder.

Section 102 – Culpable homicide by causing death of person other than person whose death was intended.

Section 103 – Punishment for murder.

Section 104 – Punishment for murder by life-convict.

Section 105 – Punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

Section 106 – Causing death by negligence.

Section 107 – Abetment of suicide of child or person of unsound mind.

Section 108 – Abetment of suicide.

Section 109 – Attempt to murder.

Section 110 – Attempt to commit culpable homicide.

Section 111 – Organised crime.

Section 112 – Petty organised crime.

Section 113 – Terrorist act.

Section 114 – Hurt.

Section 115 – Voluntarily causing hurt.

Section 116 – Grievous hurt.

Section 117 – Voluntarily causing grievous hurt.

Section 118 – Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means.

Section 119 – Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to extort property, or to constrain to an illegal to an act.

Section 120 – Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to extort confession, or to compel restoration of property.

Section 121 – Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to deter public servant from his duty.

Section 122 – Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt on provocation.

Section 123 – Causing hurt by means of poison, etc., with intent to commit an offence.

Section 124 – Voluntarily causing grievous hurt by use of acid, etc.

Section 125 – Act endangering life or personal safety of others.

Section 126 – Wrongful restraint.

Section 127 – Wrongful confinement.

Section 128 – Force.

Section 129 – Criminal force.

Section 130 – Assault.

Section 131 – Punishment for assault or criminal force otherwise than on grave provocation.

Section 132 – Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty.

Section 133 – Assault or criminal force with intent to dishonor person, otherwise than on grave provocation.

Section 134 – Assault or criminal force in attempt to commit theft of property carried by a person.

Section 135 – Assault or criminal force in attempt wrongfully to confine a person.

Section 136 – Assault or criminal force on grave provocation.

Section 137 – Kidnapping.

Section 138 – Abduction.

Section 139 – Kidnapping or maiming a child for purposes of begging.

Section 140 – Kidnapping or abducting in order to murder or for ransom etc.

Section 141 – Importation of girl or boy from foreign country.

Section 142 – Wrongfully concealing or keeping in confinement, kidnapped or abducted person.

Section 143 – Trafficking of person.

Section 144 – Exploitation of a trafficked person.

Section 145 – Habitual dealing in slaves.

Section 146 – Unlawful compulsory labour.

Section 147 – Waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against the Government of India.

Section 148 – Conspiracy to commit offences punishable by section 147.

Section 149 – Collecting arms, etc., with intention of waging war against the Government of India.

Section 150 – Concealing with intent to facilitate design to wage war.

Section 151 – Assaulting President, Governor, etc., with intent to compel or restrain the exercise of any lawful power.

Section 152 – Acts endangering sovereignty unity and integrity of India.

Section 153 – Waging war against Government of any foreign State at peace with the Government of India.

Section 154 – Committing depredation on territories of foreign State at peace with the Government of India.

Section 155 – Receiving property taken by war or depredation mentioned in sections 153 and 154.

Section 156 – Public servant voluntarily allowing prisoner of state or war to escape.

Section 157 – Public servant negligently suffering such prisoner to escape.

Section 158 – Aiding escape of, rescuing or harbouring such prisoner.

Section 159 – Abetting mutiny, or attempting to seduce a soldier, sailor or airman from his duty.

Section 160 – Abetment of mutiny, if mutiny is committed in consequence thereof.

Section 161 – Abetment of assault by soldier, sailor or airman on his superior officer, when in execution of his office.

Section 162 – Abetment of such assault, if the assault committed.

Section 163 – Abetment of desertion of soldier, sailor or airman.

Section 164 – Harbouring deserter.

Section 165 – Deserter concealed on board merchant vessel through negligence of master.

Section 166 – Abetment of act of insubordination by soldier, sailor or airman.

Section 167 – Persons subject to certain Acts.

Section 168 – Wearing garb or carrying token used by soldier, sailor or airman.

Section 169 – Candidate, electoral right defined.

Section 170 – Bribery.

Section 171 – Undue influence at elections.

Section 172 – Personation at elections.

Section 173 – Punishment for bribery.

Section 174 – Punishment for undue influence or personation at an election.

Section 175 – False statement in connection with an election.

Section 176 – Illegal payments in connection with an election.

Section 177 – Failure to keep election accounts.

Section 178 – Counterfeiting coin, government stamps, currency-notes or bank-notes.

Section 179 – Using as genuine, forged or counterfeit coin, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank notes.

Section 180 – Possession of forged or counterfeit coin, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank-notes.

Section 181 – Making or possessing instruments or materials for forging or counterfeiting coin, Government stamp, currency notes or bank-notes.

Section 182 – Making or using documents resembling currency-notes or bank-notes.

Section 183 – Effacing writing from substance bearing Government stamp, or removing from document a stamp used for it, with intent to cause loss to Government.

Section 184 – Using Government stamp known to have been before used.

Section 185 – Erasure of mark denoting that stamp has been used.

Section 186 – Prohibition of fictitious stamps.

Section 187 – Person employed in mint causing coin to be of different weight or composition from that fixed by law.

Section 188 – Unlawfully taking coining instrument from mint

Section 189 – Unlawful assembly.

Section 190 – Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object.

Section 191 – Rioting.

Section 192 – Wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot- if rioting be committed; if not committed.

Section 193 – Liability of owner, occupier etc., of land on which an unlawful assembly or riot takes place.

Section 194 – Affray.

Section 195 – Assaulting or obstructing public servant when suppressing riot, etc.

Section 196 – Promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony.

Section 197 – Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration.

Section 198 – Public servant disobeying law, with intent to cause injury to any person.

Section 199 – Public servant disobeying direction under law.

Section 200 – Punishment for non-treatment of victim.

Section 201 – Public servant framing an incorrect document with intent to cause injury.

Section 202 – Public servant unlawfully engaging in trade.

Section 203 – Personating a public servant.

Section 204 – Wearing garb or carrying token used by public servant with fraudulent intent.

Section 205 – Absconding to avoid service of summons or other proceeding.

Section 206 – Preventing service of summons or other proceeding, or preventing publication thereof.

Section 207 – Non-attendance in obedience to an order from public servant.

Section 208 – Non-appearance in response to a proclamation under section 84 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.

Section 209 – Omission to produce document or electronic record to public servant by person legally bound to produce it.

Section 210 – Omission to give notice or information to public servant by person legally bound to give it.

Section 211 – Furnishing false information.

Section 212 – Refusing oath or affirmation when duly required by public servant to make it.

Section 213 – Refusing to answer public servant authorised to question.

Section 214 – Refusing to sign statement.

Section 215 – False statement on oath or affirmation to public servant or person authorised to administer an oath or affirmation.

Section 216 – False information, with intent to cause public servant to use his lawful power to the injury of another person.

Section 217 – Resistance to the taking of property by the lawful authority of a public servant.

Section 218 – Obstructing sale of property offered for sale by authority of public servant.

Section 219 – Illegal purchase or bid for property offered for sale by authority of public servant.

Section 220 – Obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions.

Section 221 – Omission to assist public servant when bound by law to give assistance.

Section 222 – Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant.

Section 223 – Threat of injury to public servant.

Section 224 – Threat of injury to induce person to refrain from applying for protection to public servant.

Section 225 – Attempt to commit suicide to compel or restraint exercise of lawful power.

Section 226 – Giving false evidence.

Section 227 – Fabricating false evidence.

Section 228 – Punishment for false evidence.

Section 229 – Giving or fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction of capital offence.

Section 230 – Giving or fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction of offence punishable with imprisonment for life or imprisonment.

Section 231 – Threatening any person to give false evidence.

Section 232 – Using evidence known to be false.

Section 233 – Issuing or signing false certificate.

Section 234 – Using as true a certificate known to be false.

Section 235 – False statement made in declaration which is by law receivable as evidence.

Section 236 – Using as true such declaration knowing it to be false.

Section 237 – Causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender.

Section 238 – Intentional omission to give information of offence by person bound to inform.

Section 239 – Giving false information respecting an offence committed.

Section 240 – Destruction of document or electronic record to prevent its production as evidence.

Section 241 – False personation for purpose of act or proceeding in suit or prosecution.

Section 242 – Fraudulent removal or concealment of property to prevent its seizure as forfeited or in execution.

Section 243 – Fraudulent claim to property to prevent its seizure as forfeited or in execution.

Section 244 – Fraudulently suffering decree for sum not due.

Section 245 – Dishonestly making false claim in Court.

Section 246 – Fraudulently obtaining decree for sum not due.

Section 247 – False charge of offence made with intent to injure.

Section 248 – Harbouring offender.

Section 249 – Taking gift, etc., to screen an offender from punishment.

Section 250 – Offering gift or restoration of property in consideration of screening offender

Section 251 – Taking gift to help to recover stolen property, etc.

Section 252 – Harbouring offender who has escaped from custody or whose apprehension has been ordered.

Section 253 – Penalty for harbouring robbers or dacoits.

Section 254 – Public servant disobeying direction of law with intent to save person from punishment or property from forfeiture.

Section 255 – Public servant framing incorrect record or writing with intent to save person from punishment or property from forfeiture.

Section 256 – Public servant in judicial proceeding corruptly making report, etc., contrary to law.

Section 257 – Commitment for trial or confinement by person having authority who knows that he is acting contrary to law.

Section 258 – Intentional omission to apprehend on the part of public servant bound to apprehend.

Section 259 – Intentional omission to apprehend on the part of public servant bound to apprehend person under sentence or lawfully committed.

Section 260 – Escape from confinement or custody negligently suffered by public servant.

Section 261 – Resistance or obstruction by a person to his lawful apprehension.

Section 262 – Resistance or obstruction to lawful apprehension of another person.

Section 263 – Omission to apprehend, or sufferance of escape, on part of public servant, in cases not otherwise, provided for.

Section 264 – Resistance or obstruction to lawful apprehension or escape or rescue in cases not otherwise provided for.

Section 265 – Violation of condition of remission of punishment.

Section 266 – Intentional insult or interruption to public servant sitting in judicial proceeding.

Section 267 – Personation of an assessor.

Section 268 – Failure by person released on bail or bond to appear in court.

Section 269 – Giving false evidence.

Section 270 – Public nuisance.

Section 271 – Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life.

Section 272 – Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life.

Section 273 – Disobedience to quarantine rule.

Section 274 – Adulteration of food or drink intended for sale.

Section 275 – Sale of noxious food or drink.

Section 276 – Adulteration of drugs.

Section 277 – Sale of adulterated drugs.

Section 278 – Sale of drug as a different drug or preparation.

Section 279 – Fouling water of public spring or reservoir.

Section 280 – Making atmosphere noxious to health.

Section 281 – Rash driving or riding on a public way.

Section 282 – Rash navigation of vessel.

Section 283 – Exhibition of false light, mark or buoy.

Section 284 – Conveying person by water for hire in unsafe or overloaded vessel.

Section 285 – Danger or obstruction in public way or line of navigation.

Section 286 – Negligent conduct with respect to poisonous substance.

Section 287 – Negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter.

Section 288 – Negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance.

Section 289 – Negligent conduct with respect to machinery.

Section 290 – Negligent conduct with respect to pulling down, repairing or constructing buildings etc.

Section 291 – Negligent conduct with respect to animal.

Section 292 – Punishment for public nuisance in cases not otherwise provided for.

Section 293 – Continuance of nuisance after injunction to discontinue.

Section 294 – Sale, etc., of obscene books, etc.

Section 295 – Sale, etc., of obscene objects to child.

Section 296 – Obscene acts and songs.

Section 297 – Keeping lottery office

Section 298 – Injuring or defiling place of worship, with intent to insult the religion of any class.

Section 299 – Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs.

Section 300 – Disturbing religious assembly.

Section 301 – Trespassing on burial places, etc.

Section 302 – Uttering words, etc., with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings of any person.

Section 303 – Theft.

Section 304 – Snatching.

Section 305 – Theft in a dwelling house, or means of transportation or place of worship, etc.

Section 306 – Theft by clerk or servant of property in possession of master.

Section 307 – Theft after preparation made for causing death, hurt or restraint in order to the committing of theft.

Section 308 – Extortion.

Section 309 – Robbery.

Section 310 – Dacoity.

Section 311 – Robbery, or dacoity, with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt.

Section 312 – Attempt to commit robbery or dacoity when armed with deadly weapon.

Section 313 – Punishment for belonging to gang of robbers, etc.

Section 314 – Dishonest misappropriation of property.

Section 315 – Dishonest misappropriation of property possessed by deceased person at the time of his death.

Section 316 – Criminal breach of trust.

Section 317 – Stolen property.

Section 318 – Cheating.

Section 319 – Cheating by personation.

Section 320 – Dishonest or fraudulent removal or concealment of property to prevent distribution among creditors.

Section 321 – Dishonestly or fraudulently preventing debt being available for creditors.

Section 322 – Dishonest or fraudulent execution of deed of transfer containing false statement of consideration.

Section 323 – Dishonest or fraudulent removal or concealment of property.

Section 324 – Mischief.

Section 325 – Mischief by killing or maiming animal.

Section 326 – Mischief by injury, inundation, fire or explosive substance, etc.

Section 327 – Mischief with intent to destroy or make unsafe a rail, aircraft, decked vessel or one of twenty tons burden.

Section 328 – Punishment for intentionally running vessel aground or ashore with intent to commit theft, etc.

Section 329 – Criminal trespass and house-trespass.

Section 330 – House-trespass and house-breaking.

Section 331 – Punishment for house-trespass or house breaking.

Section 332 – House-trespass in order to commit offence.

Section 333 – House-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint.

Section 334 – Dishonestly breaking open receptacle containing property.

Section 335 – Making a false document.

Section 336 – Forgery.

Section 337 – Forgery of record of Court or of public register, etc.

Section 338 – Forgery of valuable security, will, etc.

Section 339 – Having possession of document described in section 337 or 338, knowing it to be forged and intending to use it as genuine.

Section 340 – Forged document or electronic record and using it as genuine.

Section 341 – Making or possessing counterfeit seal, etc., with intent to commit forgery punishable under section 338.

Section 342 – Counterfeiting device or mark used for authenticating documents described in section 338, or possessing counterfeit marked material.

Section 343 – Fraudulent cancellation, destruction, etc., of will, authority to adopt, or valuable security.

Section 344 – Falsification of accounts.

Section 345 – Property mark.

Section 346 – Tampering with property mark with intent to cause injury.

Section 347 – Counterfeiting a property mark.

Section 348 – Making or possession of any instrument for counterfeiting a property mark.

Section 349 – Selling goods marked with a counterfeit property mark.

Section 350 – Making a false mark upon any receptacle containing goods.

Section 351 – Criminal intimidation.

Section 352 – Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace.

Section 353 – Statements conducing to public mischief.

Section 354 – Act caused by inducing person to believe that he will be rendered an object of the Divine displeasure.

Section 355 – Misconduct in public by a drunken person.

Section 356 – Defamation.

Section 357 – Breach of contract to attend on and supply wants of helpless person.

Section 358 – Repeal and savings.