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The Indian Penal Code, 1860
An Act to provide a general penal code in India
CitationAct No. 45 of 1860
Territorial extentIndia (except the state of Jammu and Kashmir)
Enacted byImperial Legislative Council
Date enacted6 October 1860
Date assented to6 October 1860
Date commenced1 January 1862
Committee reportFirst Law Commission
Amends
seeAmendments
Related legislation
Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973
Status: Amended

The Indian Penal Code (IPC) is the official criminal code of India. It is a comprehensive code intended to cover all substantive aspects of criminal law. The code was drafted in 1860 on the recommendations of first law commission of India established in 1834 under the Charter Act of 1833 under the Chairmanship of LordThomas Babington Macaulay.[1][2][3] It came into force in British India during the early British Raj period in 1862. However, it did not apply automatically in the Princely states, which had their own courts and legal systems until the 1940s. The Code has since been amended several times and is now supplemented by other criminal provisions.

After the partition of the British Indian Empire, the Indian Penal Code was inherited by its successor states, the Dominion of India and the Dominion of Pakistan, where it continues independently as the Pakistan Penal Code. The Ranbir Penal Code (R.P.C) applicable in Jammu and Kashmir is also based on this Code.[2] After the separation of Bangladesh (former East Pakistan) from Pakistan, the code continued in force there. The Code was also adopted by the British colonial authorities in Colonial Burma, Ceylon (modern Sri Lanka), the Straits Settlements (now part of Malaysia), Singapore and Brunei, and remains the basis of the criminal codes in those countries.

  • 4Controversies

History[edit]

The draft of the Indian Penal Code was prepared by the First Law Commission, chaired by Thomas Babington Macaulay in 1834 and was submitted to Governor-General of India Council in 1835. Its basis is the law of England freed from superfluities, technicalities and local peculiarities. Elements were also derived from the Napoleonic Code and from Edward Livingston's Louisiana Civil Code of 1825. The first final draft of the Indian Penal Code was submitted to the Governor-General of India in Council in 1837, but the draft was again revised. The drafting was completed in 1850 and the Code was presented to the Legislative Council in 1856, but it did not take its place on the statute book of British India until a generation later, following the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The draft then underwent a very careful revision at the hands of Barnes Peacock, who later became the first Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court, and the future puisne judges of the Calcutta High Court, who were members of the Legislative Council, and was passed into law on 6 October 1860.[4] The Code came into operation on 1 January 1862. Macaulay did not survive to see his masterpiece come into force, having died near the end of 1859.

Objective[edit]

The objective of this Act is to provide a general penal code for India.[5] Though not the initial objective, the Act does not repeal the penal laws which were in force at the time of coming into force in India. This was so because the Code does not contain all the offences and it was possible that some offences might have still been left out of the Code, which were not intended to be exempted from penal consequences. Though this Code consolidates the whole of the law on the subject and is exhaustive on the matters in respect of which it declares the law,many more penal statutes governing various offences have been created in addition to the code.

Structure[edit]

The Indian Penal Code of 1860, sub-divided into 23 chapters, comprises 511 sections. The Code starts with an introduction, provides explanations and exceptions used in it, and covers a wide range of offences. The Outline is presented in the following table:[6]

INDIAN PENAL CODE, 1860(Sections 1 to 511)
ChapterSections coveredClassification of offences
Chapter ISections 1 to 5Introduction
Chapter IISections 6 to 52General Explanations
Chapter IIISections 53 to 75of Punishments
Chapter IVSections 76 to 106General Exceptions

of the Right of Private Defence (Sections 96 to 106)

Chapter VSections 107 to 120Of Abetment
Chapter VASections 120A to 120BCriminal Conspiracy
Chapter VISections 121 to 130Of Offences against the State
Chapter VIISections 131 to 140Of Offences relating to the Army, Navy and Air Force
Chapter VIIISections 141 to 160Of Offences against the Public Tranquillity
Chapter IXSections 161 to 171Of Offences by or relating to Public Servants
Chapter IXASections 171A to 171IOf Offences Relating to Elections
Chapter XSections 172 to 190Of Contempts of Lawful Authority of Public Servants
Chapter XISections 191 to 229Of False Evidence and Offences against Public Justice
Chapter XIISections 230 to 263Of Offences relating to coin and Government Stamps
Chapter XIIISections 264 to 267Of Offences relating to Weight and Measures
Chapter XIVSections 268 to 294Of Offences affecting the Public Health, Safety, Convenience, Decency and Morals.
Chapter XVSections 295 to 298Of Offences relating to Religion
Chapter XVISections 299 to 377Of Offences affecting the Human Body.
  • Of Offences Affecting Life including murder, culpable homicide (Sections 299 to 311)
  • Of the Causing of Miscarriage, of Injuries to Unborn Children, of the Exposure of Infants, and of the Concealment of Births (Sections 312 to 318)
  • Of Hurt (Sections 319 to 338)
  • Of Wrongful Restraint and Wrongful Confinement (Sections 339 to 348)
  • Of Criminal Force and Assault (Sections 349 to 358)
  • Of Kidnapping, Abduction, Slavery and Forced Labour (Sections 359 to 374)
  • Sexual Offences including rape and Sodomy (Sections 375 to 377)
Chapter XVIISections 378 to 462Of Offences Against Property
  • Of Theft (Sections 378 to 382)
  • Of Extortion (Sections 383 to 389)
  • Of Robbery and Dacoity (Sections 390 to 402)
  • Of Criminal Misappropriation of Property (Sections 403 to 404)
  • Of Criminal Breach of Trust (Sections 405 to 409)
  • Of the Receiving of Stolen Property (Sections 410 to 414)
  • Of Cheating (Section 415 to 420)
  • Of Fraudulent Deeds and Disposition of Property (Sections 421 to 424)
  • Of Mischief (Sections 425 to 440)
  • Of Criminal Trespass (Sections 441 to 462)
Chapter XVIIISection 463 to 489 -EOffences relating to Documents and Property Marks
  • Offences relating to Documents (Section 463 to 477-A)
  • Offences relating to Property and Other Marks (Sections 478 to 489)
  • Offences relating to Currency Notes and Bank Notes (Sections 489A to 489E)
Chapter XIXSections 490 to 492Of the Criminal Breach of Contracts of Service
Chapter XXSections 493 to 498Of Offences Relating to Marriage
Chapter XXASections 498AOf Cruelty by Husband or Relatives of Husband
Chapter XXISections 499 to 502Of Defamation
Chapter XXIISections 503 to 510Of Criminal intimidation, Insult and Annoyance
Chapter XXIIISection 511Of Attempts to Commit Offences

Controversies[edit]

Various sections of the Indian Penal Code are controversial. They are challenged in courts claiming as against constitution of India. Also there is demand for abolition of some controversial IPC sections completely or partially.

Unnatural Offences (Sodomy) - Section 377[edit]

Ipc

Whoever, voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal, shall be punished with imprisonment of life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.

Explanation - Penetration is sufficient to constitute the carnal intercourse necessary to the offence described in this section.[7]

  • Section 377 The Delhi High Court on 2 July 2009 gave a liberal interpretation to this section and laid down that this section can not be used to punish an act of consensual sexual intercourse between two same sex individuals.[8]
  • On 11 December 2013, Supreme Court of India over-ruled the judgment given by Delhi High court in 2009 and clarified that 'Section 377, which holds same-sex relations unnatural, does not suffer from unconstitutionality'. The Bench said: 'We hold that Section 377 does not suffer from ... unconstitutionality and the declaration made by the Division Bench of the High Court is legally unsustainable.' It, however, said: 'Notwithstanding this verdict, the competent legislature shall be free to consider the desirability and propriety of deleting Section 377 from the statute book or amend it as per the suggestion made by Attorney-General G.E. Vahanvati.'[9]
  • On 8 January 2018, the Supreme Court agreed to reconsider its 2013 decision and after much deliberation agreed to decriminalise the parts of Section 377 that criminalised same sex relations on 6 September 2018. [10] The judgement of Suresh Kaushal v. Naz Foundation is overruled.[11]

Attempt to Commit Suicide - Section 309[edit]

The Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code deals with an unsuccessful attempt to suicide. Attempting to commit suicide and doing any act towards the commission of the offence is punishable with imprisonment up to one year or with fine or with both. Considering long-standing demand and recommendations of the Law Commission of India, which has repeatedly endorsed the repeal of this section, the Government of India in December 2014 decided to decriminalise attempt to commit suicide by dropping Section 309 of IPC from the statute book. Though this decision found favour with most of the states, a few others argued that it would make law enforcement agencies helpless against people who resort to fast unto death, self-immolation, etc., pointing out the case of anti-AFSPA activist Irom Chanu Sharmila.[12] In February 2015, the Legislative Department of the Ministry of Law and Justice was asked by the Government to prepare a draft Amendment Bill in this regard.[13]

In an August 2015 ruling, the Rajasthan High Court made the Jain practice of undertaking voluntary death by fasting at the end of a person's life, known as Santhara, punishable under sections 306 and 309 of the IPC. This led to some controversy, with some sections of the Jain community urging the Prime Minister to move the Supreme Court against the order.[14][15]On 31 August 2015, the Supreme Court admitted the petition by Akhil Bharat Varshiya Digambar Jain Parishad and granted leave. It stayed the decision of the High Court and lifted the ban on the practice.

Adultery - Section 497[edit]

The Section 497 of the Indian Penal Code has been criticised on the one hand for allegedly treating woman as the private property of her husband, and on the other hand for giving women complete protection against punishment for adultery.[16][17] This section was unanimously struck down on 27th September 2018 by a five judge bench of the Supreme Court in case of Joseph Shine v. Union of India as being unconstitutional and demeaning to the dignity of women. Adultery continues to be a ground for seeking divorce in a Civil Court, but is no longer a criminal offence in India.

Death penalty (Capital Punishment)[edit]

Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 121 (war against the Government of India), 132 (mutiny), 194 (false evidence to procure conviction for a capital offence), 302, 303 (murder), 305 (abetting suicide), 364A (kidnapping for ransom), 364A (banditry with murder), 376A (rape) have death penalty as punishment. There is ongoing debate for abolishing capital punishment.[18]

List

Criminal justice reforms[edit]

In 2003, the Malimath Committee submitted its report recommending several far-reaching penal reforms including separation of investigation and prosecution (similar to the CPS in the UK) to streamline criminal justice system.[19] The essence of the report was a perceived need for shift from an adversarial to an inquisitorial criminal justice system, based on the Continental European systems.

Amendments[edit]

The Code has been amended several times.[20][21]

S. No.Short title of amending legislationNo.Year
1The Repealing Act, 1870141870
2The Indian Penal Code Amendment Act, 1870271870
3The Indian Penal Code Amendment Act, 1872191872
4The Indian Oaths Act, 1873101873
5The Indian Penal Code Amendment Act, 188281882
6The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1882101882
7The Indian Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1886101886
8The Indian Marine Act, 1887141887
9The Metal Tokens Act, 188911889
10The Indian Merchandise Marks Act, 188941889
11The Cantonments Act, 1889131889
12The Indian Railways Act, 189091890
13The Indian Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1891101891
14The Amending Act, 1891121891
15The Indian Criminal Law Amendment Act, 189431894
16The Indian Criminal Law Amendment Act, 189531895
17The Indian Penal Code Amendment Act, 189661896
18The Indian Penal Code Amendment Act, 189841898
19The Currency-Notes Forgery Act, 1899121899
20The Indian Penal Code Amendment Act, 191031910
21The Indian Criminal Law Amendment Act, 191381913
22The Indian Elections Offences and Inquiries Act, 1920391920
23The Indian Penal Code (Amendment) Act, 1921161921
24The Indian Penal Code (Amendment) Act, 1923201923
25The Indian Penal Code (Amendment) Act, 192451924
26The Indian Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1924181924
27The Workmen's Breach of Contract (Repealing) Act, 192531925
29The Obscene Publications Act, 192581925
29The Indian Penal Code (Amendment) Act, 1925291925
30The Repealing and Amending Act, 1927101927
31The Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1927251927
32The Repealing and Amending Act, 193081930
33The Indian Air Force Act, 1932141932
34The Amending Act, 1934351934
35The Government of India (Adaptation of Indian Laws) Order, 1937N/A1937
36The Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1939221939
37The Offences on Ships and Aircraft Act, 194041940
38The Indian Merchandise Marks (Amendment) Act, 194121941
39The Indian Penal Code (Amendment) Act, 194281942
40The Indian Penal Code (Amendment) Act, 194361943
41The Indian Independence (Adaptation of Central Acts and Ordinances) Order, 1948N/A1948
42The Criminal Law (Removal of Racial Discriminations) Act, 1949171949
43The Indian Penal Code and the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Act, 1949421949
44The Adaptation of Laws Order, 1950N/A1950
45The Repealing and Amending Act, 1950351950
46The Part B States (Laws) Act, 195131951
47The Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1952461952
48The Repealing and Amending Act, 1952481952
49The Repealing and Amending Act, 1953421953
50The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Act, 1955261955
51The Adaptation of Laws (No.2) Order, 1956N/A1956
52The Repealing and Amending Act, 1957361957
53The Criminal Law Amendment Act, 195821958
54The Trade and Merchandise Marks Act, 1958431958
55The Indian Penal Code (Amendment) Act, 1959521959
56The Indian Penal Code (Amendment) Act, 1961411961
57The Anti-Corruption Laws (Amendment) Act, 1964401964
58The Criminal and Election Laws Amendment Act, 1969351969
59The Indian Penal Code (Amendment) Act, 1969361969
60The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 1972311972
61The Employees' Provident Funds and Family Pension Fund (Amendment) Act, 1973401973
62The Employees' State Insurance (Amendment) Act, 1975381975
63The Election Laws (Amendment) Act, 1975401975
64The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 1983431983
65The Criminal Law (Second Amendment) Act, 1983461983
66The Dowry Prohibition (Amendment) Act, 1986431986
67The Employees' Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions (Amendment) Act, 1988331988
68The Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988491988
69The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 1993421993
70The Indian Penal Code (Amendment) Act, 1995241995
71The Information Technology Act, 2000212000
72The Election Laws (Amendment) Act, 2003242003
73The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Act, 2005252005
74The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 200522006
75The Information Technology (Amendment) Act, 2008102009
76The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013132013
77The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 20182018

Acclaim[edit]

The Code is universally acknowledged as a cogently drafted code, ahead of its time. It has substantially survived for over 150 years in several jurisdictions without major amendments. Nicholas Phillips, Justice of Supreme Court of United Kingdom applauded the efficacy and relevance of IPC while commemorating 150 years of IPC.[22] Modern crimes involving technology unheard of during Macaulay's time fit easily within the Code[citation needed] mainly because of the broadness of the Code's drafting.

Cultural references[edit]

Some references to specific sections (called dafa'a in Hindi-Urdu, دفعہ or दफ़आ/दफ़ा) of the IPC have entered popular speech in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. For instance, con men are referred to as 420s (chaar-sau-bees in Hindi-Urdu) after Section 420 which covers cheating.[23] Similarly, specific reference to section 302 ('tazīrāt-e-Hind dafā tīn-sau-do ke tehet sazā-e-maut', 'punishment of death under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code'), which covers the death penalty, have become part of common knowledge in the region due to repeated mentions of it in Bollywood movies and regional pulp literature.[24][25]Dafa 302 was also the name of a Bollywood movie released in 1975.[26] Similarly, Shree 420 was the name of a 1955 Bollywood movie starring Raj Kapoor.[27] and Chachi 420 was a Bollywood movie released in 1997 starring Kamal Haasan.[28]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^Universal's Guide to Judicial Service Examination. Universal Law Publishing. p. 2. ISBN978-93-5035-029-4.
  2. ^ abLal Kalla, Krishan (1985). The Literary Heritage of Kashmir. Jammu and Kashmir: Mittal Publications. p. 75. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  3. ^'Law Commission of India - Early Beginnings'. Law Commission of India. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  4. ^'Historical Introduction to IPC (PDF)'(PDF).
  5. ^'Preamble of IPC (download IPC in PDF)'.
  6. ^B.M.Gandhi. Indian Panel Code (2013 ed.). EBC. pp. 1–832. ISBN978-81-7012-892-2.
  7. ^B.M.Gandhi. Indian Penal Code. EBC. pp. 1–796. ISBN978-81-7012-892-2.
  8. ^'Delhi High Court strikes down Section 377 of IPC'. The Hindu. 3 July 2009. ISSN0971-751X. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  9. ^Venkatesan, J. (11 December 2013). 'Supreme Court sets aside Delhi HC verdict decriminalising gay sex'. The Hindu. ISSN0971-751X. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  10. ^'SC decriminalises Section 377: A timeline of the case'. Times of India. 6 September 2018. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  11. ^'Supreme Court's decision on Section 377: Separate decision of 5 Judges [Read Judgement]'. www.lawji.in. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  12. ^'Government decriminalizes attempt to commit suicide, removes section 309'. The Times of India. 10 December 2014. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  13. ^'Attempt to Suicide'. Press Information Bureau. Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  14. ^'Rajasthan HC says Santhara illegal, Jain saints want PM Modi to move SC'. The Indian Express. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  15. ^'Rajasthan HC bans starvation ritual 'Santhara', says fasting unto death not essential tenet of Jainism'. IBN Live. CNN-IBN. 10 August 2015. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  16. ^'Wife is private property, so no trespassing'. The Times of india. 17 July 2015. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  17. ^'Adultery law biased against men, says Supreme Court'. The Times of India. 3 December 2011. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  18. ^Abrams, Corinne (3 September 2015). 'The Reasons India's Law Commission Says the Death Penalty Should Be Scrapped'.
  19. ^'IPC Reform Committee recommends separation of investigation from prosecution powers (pdf)'(PDF). Retrieved 23 May 2012.
  20. ^Parliament of India. 'The Indian Penal Code'(PDF). childlineindia.org.in. Retrieved 7 June 2015.This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  21. ^The Indian Penal Code, 1860. Current Publications. 7 May 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2015.
  22. ^'IPC's endurance lauded'. The New Indian Express. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  23. ^Henry Scholberg (1992), The return of the Raj: a novel, NorthStar Publications, 1992, ... People were saying, 'Twenty plus Four equals Char Sau Bees.' Char Sou Bees is 420 which is the number of the law that has to do with counterfeiting ...
  24. ^Star Plus, The Great Indian Laughter Challenge – Jokes Book, Popular Prakashan, ISBN978-81-7991-343-7, ... Tazeerat-e-hind, dafa 302 ke tahat, mujrim ko maut ki saza sunai jaati hai ...
  25. ^Alok Tomar; Monisha Shah; Jonathan Lynn (2001), Ji Mantriji: The diaries of Shri Suryaprakash Singh, Penguin Books in association with BBC Worldwide, 2001, ISBN978-0-14-302767-6, ... we'd have the death penalty back tomorrow. Dafa 302, taaziraat-e-Hind ... to be hung by the neck until death ...
  26. ^D. P. Mishra (1 September 2006), Great masters of Indian cinema: the Dadasaheb Phalke Award winnersGreat Masters of Indian Cinema Series, Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, 2006, ISBN978-81-230-1361-9, ... Badti Ka Naam Dadhi ( 1975), Chhoti Si Baat ( 1975), Dafa 302 ( 1 975), Chori Mera Kaam ( 1975), Ek Mahal Ho Sapnon Ka (1975) ...
  27. ^'Shree 420' – via www.imdb.com.
  28. ^Haasan, Kamal; Puri, Amrish; Puri, Om; Tabu (19 December 1997), Chachi 420, retrieved 3 April 2017
Section

Further reading[edit]

Ipc Dhara In Hindi

  • C.K.Takwani (2014). Indian Penal Code. Eastern Book Company.
  • Murlidhar Chaturvedi (2011). Bhartiya Dand Sanhita,1860. EBC. ISBN978-93-5028-140-6.
  • Surender Malik; Sudeep Malik (2015). Supreme Court on Penal Code. EBC. ISBN978-93-5145-218-8.

External links[edit]

Ipc Section

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