The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023

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Important details

Full text of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita

This law has 359 provisions. Open a chapter or a section from the contents below.

1. Preamble
2. Chapter I — Preliminary
   1. 1. Short title, commencement and application
   2. 2. Definitions
   3. 3. General explanations
3. Chapter II — Of Punishments
   1. 4. Punishments
   2. 5. Commutation of sentence
   3. 6. Fractions of terms of punishment
   4. 7. Sentence may be (in certain cases of imprisonment) wholly or partly rigorous or simple
   5. 8. Amount of fine, liability in default of payment of fine, etc
   6. 9. Limit of punishment of offence made up of several offences
   7. 10. Punishment of person guilty of one of several offences, judgment stating that it is doubtful of which
   8. 11. Solitary confinement
   9. 12. Limit of solitary confinement
   10. 13. Enhanced punishment for certain offences after previous conviction
4. Chapter III — General Exceptions
   1. 14. Act done by a person bound, or by mistake of fact believing himself bound, by law
   2. 15. Act of Judge when acting judicially
   3. 16. Act done pursuant to judgment or order of Court
   4. 17. Act done by a person justified, or by mistake of fact believing himself justified, by law
   5. 18. Accident in doing a lawful act
   6. 19. Act likely to cause harm, but done without criminal intent, and to prevent other harm
   7. 20. Act of a child under seven years of age
   8. 21. Act of a child above seven and under twelve years of age of immature understanding
   9. 22. Act of a person of unsound mind
   10. 23. Act of a person incapable of judgment by reason of intoxication caused against his will
   11. 24. Offence requiring a particular intent or knowledge committed by one who is intoxicated
   12. 25. Act not intended and not known to be likely to cause death or grievous hurt, done by consent
   13. 26. Act not intended to cause death, done by consent in good faith for person's benefit
   14. 27. Act done in good faith for benefit of child or person of unsound mind, by, or by consent of guardian
   15. 28. Consent known to be given under fear or misconception
   16. 29. Exclusion of acts which are offences independently of harm caused
   17. 30. Act done in good faith for benefit of a person without consent
   18. 31. Communication made in good faith
   19. 32. Act to which a person is compelled by threats
   20. 33. Act causing slight harm
   21. 34. Things done in private defence
   22. 35. Right of private defence of body and of property
   23. 36. Right of private defence against act of a person of unsound mind, etc
   24. 37. Acts against which there is no right of private defence
   25. 38. When right of private defence of body extends to causing death
   26. 39. When such right extends to causing any harm other than death
   27. 40. Commencement and continuance of right of private defence of body
   28. 41. When right of private defence of property extends to causing death
   29. 42. When such right extends to causing any harm other than death
   30. 43. Commencement and continuance of right of private defence of property
   31. 44. Right of private defence against deadly assault when there is risk of harm to innocent person
5. Chapter IV — Of Abetment, Criminal Conspiracy and Attempt
   1. 45. Abetment of a thing
   2. 46. Abettor
   3. 47. Abetment in India of offences outside India
   4. 48. Abetment outside India for offence in India
   5. 49. Punishment of abetment if act abetted is committed in consequence and where no express provision is made for its punishment
   6. 50. Punishment of abetment if person abetted does act with different intention from that of abettor
   7. 51. Liability of abettor when one act abetted and different act done
   8. 52. Abettor when liable to cumulative punishment for act abetted and for act done
   9. 53. Liability of abettor for an effect caused by act abetted different from that intended by abettor
   10. 54. Abettor present when offence is committed
   11. 55. Abetment of offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life
   12. 56. Abetment of offence punishable with imprisonment
   13. 57. Abetting commission of offence by public or by more than ten persons
   14. 58. Concealing design to commit offence punishable with death or imprisonment for life
   15. 59. Public servant concealing design to commit offence which it is his duty to prevent
   16. 60. Concealing design to commit offence punishable with imprisonment
   17. 61. Criminal conspiracy
   18. 62. Punishment for attempting to commit offences punishable with imprisonment for life or other imprisonment
6. Chapter V — Of Offences Against Woman and Child
   1. 63. Rape
   2. 64. Punishment for rape
   3. 65. Punishment for rape in certain cases
   4. 66. Punishment for causing death or resulting in persistent vegetative state of victim
   5. 67. Sexual intercourse by husband upon his wife during separation
   6. 68. Sexual intercourse by a person in authority
   7. 69. Sexual intercourse by employing deceitful means, etc
   8. 70. Gang rape
   9. 71. Punishment for repeat offenders
   10. 72. Disclosure of identity of victim of certain offences, etc
   11. 73. Printing or publishing any matter relating to Court proceedings without permission
   12. 74. Assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty
   13. 75. Sexual harassment
   14. 76. Assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe
   15. 77. Voyeurism
   16. 78. Stalking
   17. 79. Word, gesture or act intended to insult modesty of a woman
   18. 80. Dowry death
   19. 81. Cohabitation caused by man deceitfully inducing belief of lawful marriage
   20. 82. Marrying again during lifetime of husband or wife
   21. 83. Marriage ceremony fraudulently gone through without lawful marriage
   22. 84. Enticing or taking away or detaining with criminal intent a married woman
   23. 85. Husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty
   24. 86. Cruelty defined
   25. 87. Kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her marriage, etc
   26. 88. Causing miscarriage
   27. 89. Causing miscarriage without woman's consent
   28. 90. Death caused by act done with intent to cause miscarriage
   29. 91. Act done with intent to prevent child being born alive or to cause to die after birth
   30. 92. Causing death of quick unborn child by act amounting to culpable homicide
   31. 93. Exposure and abandonment of child under twelve years of age, by parent or person having care of it
   32. 94. Concealment of birth by secret disposal of dead body
   33. 95. Hiring, employing or engaging a child to commit an offence
   34. 96. Procuration of child
   35. 97. Kidnapping or abducting child under ten years of age with intent to steal from its person
   36. 98. Selling child for purposes of prostitution, etc
   37. 99. Buying child for purposes of prostitution, etc
7. Chapter VI — Of Offences Affecting the Human Body
   1. 100. Culpable homicide
   2. 101. Murder
   3. 102. Culpable homicide by causing death of person other than person whose death was intended
   4. 103. Punishment for murder
   5. 104. Punishment for murder by life-convict
   6. 105. Punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder
   7. 106. Causing death by negligence
   8. 107. Abetment of suicide of child or person of unsound mind
   9. 108. Abetment of suicide
   10. 109. Attempt to murder
   11. 110. Attempt to commit culpable homicide
   12. 111. Organised crime
   13. 112. Petty organised crime
   14. 113. Terrorist act
   15. 114. Hurt
   16. 115. Voluntarily causing hurt
   17. 116. Grievous hurt
   18. 117. Voluntarily causing grievous hurt
   19. 118. Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means
   20. 119. Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to extort property, or to constrain to an illegal act
   21. 120. Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to extort confession, or to compel restoration of property
   22. 121. Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to deter public servant from his duty
   23. 122. Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt on provocation
   24. 123. Causing hurt by means of poison, etc., with intent to commit an offence
   25. 124. Voluntarily causing grievous hurt by use of acid, etc
   26. 125. Act endangering life or personal safety of others
   27. 126. Wrongful restraint
   28. 127. Wrongful confinement
   29. 128. Force
   30. 129. Criminal force
   31. 130. Assault
   32. 131. Punishment for assault or criminal force otherwise than on grave provocation
   33. 132. Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty
   34. 133. Assault or criminal force with intent to dishonour person, otherwise than on grave provocation
   35. 134. Assault or criminal force in attempt to commit theft of property carried by a person
   36. 135. Assault or criminal force in attempt to wrongfully confine a person
   37. 136. Assault or criminal force on grave provocation
   38. 137. Kidnapping
   39. 138. Abduction
   40. 139. Kidnapping or maiming a child for purposes of begging
   41. 140. Kidnapping or abducting in order to murder or for ransom, etc
   42. 141. Importation of girl or boy from foreign country
   43. 142. Wrongfully concealing or keeping in confinement, kidnapped or abducted person
   44. 143. Trafficking of person
   45. 144. Exploitation of a trafficked person
   46. 145. Habitual dealing in slaves
   47. 146. Unlawful compulsory labour
8. Chapter VII — Of Offences Against the State
   1. 147. Waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against Government of India
   2. 148. Conspiracy to commit offences punishable by section 147
   3. 149. Collecting arms, etc., with intention of waging war against Government of India
   4. 150. Concealing with intent to facilitate design to wage war
   5. 151. Assaulting President, Governor, etc., with intent to compel or restrain exercise of any lawful power
   6. 152. Act endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India
   7. 153. Waging war against Government of any foreign State at peace with Government of India
   8. 154. Committing depredation on territories of foreign State at peace with Government of India
   9. 155. Receiving property taken by war or depredation mentioned in sections 153 and 154
   10. 156. Public servant voluntarily allowing prisoner of State or war to escape
   11. 157. Public servant negligently suffering such prisoner to escape
   12. 158. Aiding escape of, rescuing or harbouring such prisoner
9. Chapter VIII — Of Offences Relating to the Army, Navy and Air Force
   1. 159. Abetting mutiny, or attempting to seduce a soldier, sailor or airman from his duty
   2. 160. Abetment of mutiny, if mutiny is committed in consequence thereof
   3. 161. Abetment of assault by soldier, sailor or airman on his superior officer, when in execution of his office
   4. 162. Abetment of such assault, if assault committed
   5. 163. Abetment of desertion of soldier, sailor or airman
   6. 164. Harbouring deserter
   7. 165. Deserter concealed on board merchant vessel through negligence of master
   8. 166. Abetment of act of insubordination by soldier, sailor or airman
   9. 167. Persons subject to certain Acts
   10. 168. Wearing garb or carrying token used by soldier, sailor or airman
10. Chapter IX — Of Offences Relating to Elections
    1. 169. Candidate, electoral right defined
    2. 170. Bribery
    3. 171. Undue influence at elections
    4. 172. Personation at elections
    5. 173. Punishment for bribery
    6. 174. Punishment for undue influence or personation at an election
    7. 175. False statement in connection with an election
    8. 176. Illegal payments in connection with an election
    9. 177. Failure to keep election accounts
11. Chapter X — Of Offences Relating to Coin, Currency-notes, Bank-notes, and Government Stamps
    1. 178. Counterfeiting coin, Government stamps, currency-notes or bank-notes
    2. 179. Using as genuine, forged or counterfeit coin, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank-notes
    3. 180. Possession of forged or counterfeit coin, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank-notes
    4. 181. Making or possessing instruments or materials for forging or counterfeiting coin, Government stamp, currency-notes or bank-notes
    5. 182. Making or using documents resembling currency-notes or bank-notes
    6. 183. Effacing writing from substance bearing Government stamp, or removing from document a stamp used for it, with intent to cause loss to Government
    7. 184. Using Government stamp known to have been before used
    8. 185. Erasure of mark denoting that stamp has been used
    9. 186. Prohibition of fictitious stamps
    10. 187. Person employed in mint causing coin to be of different weight or composition from that fixed by law
    11. 188. Unlawfully taking coining instrument from mint
12. Chapter XI — Of Offences Against the Public Tranquillity
    1. 189. Unlawful assembly
    2. 190. Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object
    3. 191. Rioting
    4. 192. Wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot-if rioting be committed; if not committed
    5. 193. Liability of owner, occupier, etc., of land on which an unlawful assembly or riot takes place
    6. 194. Affray
    7. 195. Assaulting or obstructing public servant when suppressing riot, etc
    8. 196. Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony
    9. 197. Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration
13. Chapter XII — Of Offences by or Relating to Public Servants
    1. 198. Public servant disobeying law, with intent to cause injury to any person
    2. 199. Public servant disobeying direction under law
    3. 200. Punishment for non-treatment of victim
    4. 201. Public servant framing an incorrect document with intent to cause injury
    5. 202. Public servant unlawfully engaging in trade
    6. 203. Public servant unlawfully buying or bidding for property
    7. 204. Personating a public servant
    8. 205. Wearing garb or carrying token used by public servant with fraudulent intent
14. Chapter XIII — Of Contempts of the Lawful Authority of Public Servants
    1. 206. Absconding to avoid service of summons or other proceeding
    2. 207. Preventing service of summons or other proceeding, or preventing publication thereof
    3. 208. Non-attendance in obedience to an order from public servant
    4. 209. Non-appearance in response to a proclamation under section 84 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
    5. 210. Omission to produce document or electronic record to public servant by person legally bound to produce it
    6. 211. Omission to give notice or information to public servant by person legally bound to give it
    7. 212. Furnishing false information
    8. 213. Refusing oath or affirmation when duly required by public servant to make it
    9. 214. Refusing to answer public servant authorised to question
    10. 215. Refusing to sign statement
    11. 216. False statement on oath or affirmation to public servant or person authorised to administer an oath or affirmation
    12. 217. False information, with intent to cause public servant to use his lawful power to injury of another person
    13. 218. Resistance to taking of property by lawful authority of a public servant
    14. 219. Obstructing sale of property offered for sale by authority of public servant
    15. 220. Illegal purchase or bid for property offered for sale by authority of public servant
    16. 221. Obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions
    17. 222. Omission to assist public servant when bound by law to give assistance
    18. 223. Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant
    19. 224. Threat of injury to public servant
    20. 225. Threat of injury to induce person to refrain from applying for protection to public servant
    21. 226. Attempt to commit suicide to compel or restrain exercise of lawful power
15. Chapter XIV — Of False Evidence and Offences Against Public Justice
    1. 227. Giving false evidence
    2. 228. Fabricating false evidence
    3. 229. Punishment for false evidence
    4. 230. Giving or fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction of capital offence
    5. 231. Giving or fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction of offence punishable with imprisonment for life or imprisonment
    6. 232. Threatening any person to give false evidence
    7. 233. Using evidence known to be false
    8. 234. Issuing or signing false certificate
    9. 235. Using as true a certificate known to be false
    10. 236. False statement made in declaration which is by law receivable as evidence
    11. 237. Using as true such declaration knowing it to be false
    12. 238. Causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender
    13. 239. Intentional omission to give information of offence by person bound to inform
    14. 240. Giving false information respecting an offence committed
    15. 241. Destruction of document or electronic record to prevent its production as evidence
    16. 242. False personation for purpose of act or proceeding in suit or prosecution
    17. 243. Fraudulent removal or concealment of property to prevent its seizure as forfeited or in execution
    18. 244. Fraudulent claim to property to prevent its seizure as forfeited or in execution
    19. 245. Fraudulently suffering decree for sum not due
    20. 246. Dishonestly making false claim in Court
    21. 247. Fraudulently obtaining decree for sum not due
    22. 248. False charge of offence made with intent to injure
    23. 249. Harbouring offender
    24. 250. Taking gift, etc., to screen an offender from punishment
    25. 251. Offering gift or restoration of property in consideration of screening offender
    26. 252. Taking gift to help to recover stolen property, etc
    27. 253. Harbouring offender who has escaped from custody or whose apprehension has been ordered
    28. 254. Penalty for harbouring robbers or dacoits
    29. 255. Public servant disobeying direction of law with intent to save person from punishment or property from forfeiture
    30. 256. Public servant framing incorrect record or writing with intent to save person from punishment or property from forfeiture
    31. 257. Public servant in judicial proceeding corruptly making report, etc., contrary to law
    32. 258. Commitment for trial or confinement by person having authority who knows that he is acting contrary to law
    33. 259. Intentional omission to apprehend on part of public servant bound to apprehend
    34. 260. Intentional omission to apprehend on part of public servant bound to apprehend person under sentence or lawfully committed
    35. 261. Escape from confinement or custody negligently suffered by public servant
    36. 262. Resistance or obstruction by a person to his lawful apprehension
    37. 263. Resistance or obstruction to lawful apprehension of another person
    38. 264. Omission to apprehend, or sufferance of escape, on part of public servant, in cases not otherwise provided for
    39. 265. Resistance or obstruction to lawful apprehension or escape or rescue in cases not otherwise provided for
    40. 266. Violation of condition of remission of punishment
    41. 267. Intentional insult or interruption to public servant sitting in judicial proceeding
    42. 268. Personation of assessor
    43. 269. Failure by person released on bail bond or bond to appear in Court
16. Chapter XV — Of Offences Affecting the Public Health, Safety, Convenience, Decency and Morals
    1. 270. Public nuisance
    2. 271. Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life
    3. 272. Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life
    4. 273. Disobedience to quarantine rule
    5. 274. Adulteration of food or drink intended for sale
    6. 275. Sale of noxious food or drink
    7. 276. Adulteration of drugs
    8. 277. Sale of adulterated drugs
    9. 278. Sale of drug as a different drug or preparation
    10. 279. Fouling water of public spring or reservoir
    11. 280. Making atmosphere noxious to health
    12. 281. Rash driving or riding on a public way
    13. 282. Rash navigation of vessel
    14. 283. Exhibition of false light, mark or buoy
    15. 284. Conveying person by water for hire in unsafe or overloaded vessel
    16. 285. Danger or obstruction in public way or line of navigation
    17. 286. Negligent conduct with respect to poisonous substance
    18. 287. Negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter
    19. 288. Negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance
    20. 289. Negligent conduct with respect to machinery
    21. 290. Negligent conduct with respect to pulling down, repairing or constructing buildings, etc
    22. 291. Negligent conduct with respect to animal
    23. 292. Punishment for public nuisance in cases not otherwise provided for
    24. 293. Continuance of nuisance after injunction to discontinue
    25. 294. Sale, etc., of obscene books, etc
    26. 295. Sale, etc., of obscene objects to child
    27. 296. Obscene acts and songs
    28. 297. Keeping lottery office
17. Chapter XVI — Of Offences Relating to Religion
    1. 298. Injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult religion of any class
    2. 299. Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs
    3. 300. Disturbing religious assembly
    4. 301. Trespassing on burial places, etc
    5. 302. Uttering words, etc., with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings of any person
18. Chapter XVII — Of Offences Against Property
    1. 303. Theft
    2. 304. Snatching
    3. 305. Theft in a dwelling house, or means of transportation or place of worship, etc
    4. 306. Theft by clerk or servant of property in possession of master
    5. 307. Theft after preparation made for causing death, hurt or restraint in order to committing of theft
    6. 308. Extortion
    7. 309. Robbery
    8. 310. Dacoity
    9. 311. Robbery, or dacoity, with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt
    10. 312. Attempt to commit robbery or dacoity when armed with deadly weapon
    11. 313. Punishment for belonging to gang of robbers, etc
    12. 314. Dishonest misappropriation of property
    13. 315. Dishonest misappropriation of property possessed by deceased person at the time of his death
    14. 316. Criminal breach of trust
    15. 317. Stolen property
    16. 318. Cheating
    17. 319. Cheating by personation
    18. 320. Dishonest or fraudulent removal or concealment of property to prevent distribution among creditors
    19. 321. Dishonestly or fraudulently preventing debt being available for creditors
    20. 322. Dishonest or fraudulent execution of deed of transfer containing false statement of consideration
    21. 323. Dishonest or fraudulent removal or concealment of property
    22. 324. Mischief
    23. 325. Mischief by killing or maiming animal
    24. 326. Mischief by injury, inundation, fire or explosive substance, etc
    25. 327. Mischief with intent to destroy or make unsafe a rail, aircraft, decked vessel or one of twenty tons burden
    26. 328. Punishment for intentionally running vessel aground or ashore with intent to commit theft, etc
    27. 329. Criminal trespass and house-trespass
    28. 330. House-trespass and hous-ebreaking
    29. 331. Punishment for house-trespass or house-breaking
    30. 332. House-trespass in order to commit offence
    31. 333. House-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint
    32. 334. Dishonestly breaking open receptacle containing property
19. Chapter XVIII — Of Offences Relating to Documents and to Property Marks
    1. 335. Making a false document
    2. 336. Forgery
    3. 337. Forgery of record of Court or of public register, etc
    4. 338. Forgery of valuable security, will, etc
    5. 339. Having possession of document described in section 337 or section 338, knowing it to be forged and intending to use it as genuine
    6. 340. Forged document or electronic record and using it as genuine
    7. 341. Making or possessing counterfeit seal, etc., with intent to commit forgery punishable under section 338
    8. 342. Counterfeiting device or mark used for authenticating documents described in section 338, or possessing counterfeit marked material
    9. 343. Fraudulent cancellation, destruction, etc., of will, authority to adopt, or valuable security
    10. 344. Falsification of accounts
    11. 345. Property mark
    12. 346. Tampering with property mark with intent to cause injury
    13. 347. Counterfeiting a property mark
    14. 348. Making or possession of any instrument for counterfeiting a property mark
    15. 349. Selling goods marked with a counterfeit property mark
    16. 350. Making a false mark upon any receptacle containing goods
20. Chapter XIX — Of Criminal Intimidation, Insult, Annoyance, Defamation, Etc
    1. 351. Criminal intimidation
    2. 352. Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace
    3. 353. Statements conducing to public mischief
    4. 354. Act caused by inducing person to believe that he will be rendered an object of Divine displeasure
    5. 355. Misconduct in public by a drunken person
    6. 356. Defamation
    7. 357. Breach of contract to attend on and supply wants of helpless person
21. Chapter XX — Repeal and Savings
    1. 358. Repeal and savings

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Official sources and verification

• India Code (indiacode.gov.in), Legislative Department — accessed 11 November 2026
• Original statutory document (PDF / Gazette)
• Legal status: In force
• Last verified against the official source on 11 November 2026
• Section-wise text copied from India Code (indiacode.gov.in) on 11 Nov 2026 (India Code record last modified 2025-11-07), including India Code footnotes that record amendments.