The Indian Penal Code (IPC) is the official criminal code of the Republic of India. It replaced Mohammedan Criminal Law. It was the first codification of criminal law in the British Empire. Indian Penal Code of 1860 is subdivided into 23 chapters that comprise of 511 sections. Read more about Indian Penal Code, 1862 here
IMPORTANT SECTIONS OF THE IPC for UPSC Prelims Exam
Section 1 – Title and extent of operation of the Code.
Section 2 – Punishment of offences committed within India.
Section 3 – Punishment of offences committed beyond but which by law may be tried within India.
Section 19 to 26 – “Judge”, “Court of Justice”, “Public Servant”, “Movable property”, “Wrongful gain”, “Wrongful loss”, “Gaining wrongfully, losing wrongfully”, “Dishonestly”, “Fraudulently”, “Reason to believe”.
Section 34 – Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention.
Section 35 – When such an act is criminal by reason of its being done with a criminal knowledge or intention.
Section 36 – Effect caused partly by act and partly by omission.
Section 37 – Cooperation by doing one of several acts constituting an offence.
Section 38 – Persons concerned in criminal act may be guilty of different offences.
Section 40 – “Offence”.
Section 52 – “Good faith”.
Section 53 – Punishment.
Section 73 – Solitary confinement.
Section 76 to 106 – CHAPTER IV (76-106) – General Exceptions
Section 107 to 120 – CHAPTER V (107-120) – Abetment
Section 120A – Definition of criminal conspiracy.
Section 120B – Punishment of criminal conspiracy.
Section 121 – Waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against the Government of India.
Section 124A – Sedition.
Section 141 – Unlawful assembly.
Section 143 – Punishment.
Section 146 – Rioting.
Section 147 – Punishment for rioting.
Section 149 – Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object.
Section 159 – Affray.
Section 179 – Refusing to answer a public servant authorised to question.
Section 182 – False information, with intent to cause a public servant to use his lawful power to the injury of another person.
Section 191 – Giving false evidence.
Section 268 – Public nuisance.
Section 292 – Sale, etc, of obscene books, etc.
Section 293 – Sale, etc, of obscene objects to young people.
Section 294 – Obscene acts and songs.
Section 295 – Injuring or defiling a place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class.
Section 295A – Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs.
Section 299 – Culpable homicide to
Section 309 – Attempt to commit suicide.
Section 319 – Hurt to
Section 338 – Causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others.
Section 339 – Wrongful restraint.
Section 340 – Wrongful confinement.
Section 349 – Force.
Section 350 – Criminal force.
Section 351 – Assault.
Section 354 – Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty.
Section 354A – Sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment.
Section 354B – Assault or use of criminal force on a woman with intent to disrobe.
Section 359 – Kidnapping.
Section 360 – Kidnapping from India.
Section 362 – Abduction.
Section 368 – Wrongfully concealing or keeping in confinement, kidnapped or abducted person
Section 375 – Rape.
Section 376 – Punishment for rape.
Section 376D – Gang rape.
Section 376DA – Punishment for gang rape on woman under sixteen years of age.
Section 376DB – Punishment for gang rape on woman under twelve years of age.
Section 376E – Punishment for repeat offenders.
Section 377 – Unnatural offences.
Section 378 – Theft.
Section 383 – Extortion.
Section 390 – Robbery.
Section 391 – Dacoity.
Section 403 – Dishonest misappropriation of property.
Section 405 – Criminal breach of trust.
Section 415 – Cheating.
Section 420 – Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property.
Section 425 – Mischief.
Section 441 – Criminal Trespass to
Section 446 – House-breaking by night.
Section 493 – Cohabitation caused by a man deceitfully inducing a belief of lawful marriage.
Section 497 – Adultery.
Section 498 – Enticing or taking away or detaining with criminal intent a married woman.
Section 498A – Cruelty by husband or relatives of husband.
Section 499 – Defamation.
Section 503 – Criminal intimidation.
Section 506 – Punishment for criminal intimidation.
Section 509 – Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman.
Section 511 – Attempts to commit offences.
The above sections of the IPC, 1860 are very important for the upcoming UPSC Prelims Written Exam.
