Saturday, June 25, 2011

An Overview of Indian Penal Code 1860


Indian Penal Code, 1860 is the main criminal code of India. It was drafted in 1860 and came into force in colonial India during the British Rule in 1862. It has since been amended many times and is now supplemented by other criminal provisions. The draft of the Indian Penal Code was prepared by the First Law Commission chaired by Lord Macaulay. Its basis is the law of England but suggestions were also derived from the French Penal Code and Livingstone's Code of Louisiana. The draft underwent a very careful revision at the hands of Sir Barnes Peacock, Chief Justice, and puisne Judges of the Calcutta Supreme Court who were members of the Legislative Council and was passed into law on Oct 6,1860. The IPC covers a many offences, whose classification is as follows:


Section 1 to 5                           Introduction
Section 6 to 52                         General Explanations
Section 53 to 75                        About Punishments
Section 76 to 106                      General Exceptions
Section 107 to 120                    Offences related to Abetment
Section 120A, 120B                   Criminal Conspirency (added later in 1913)
Section 121 to 130                    Offences against State
Sectio 131 to 140                      Offences against Army, Navy and Air Force
Section 141 to 160                    Offences against Public Tranquillity
Section 161 to 171                    Offences by/ related to Public Servants
Section 172 to 190                    Contempts of Lawful Authority of Public Servants
Setion 191 to 229                      Offences of False Evidence and Offences against Public Justice
Section 230 to 263                    Offences related to coins and Government Stamps
Section 264 to 267                    Offences relating to Weight and Measures
Section 268 to 294                    Offences affecting the Public Health, Safety, Convenience,
Decency and Morals
Section 295 to 298                    Offences related to Religion
Section 299 to 311                    Offences Affecting Life including Murder, culpable Homicide etc.
Section 312 to 318                    Offences related to Miscarriage, Injuries to Unborn Children,
Exposure of Infants and Concealment of Births
Section 319 to 338                    Offences of hurting
Section 339 to 348                    Offences of  Wrongful Restraint and Wrongful Confinement
Section 349 to 358                    Offences of Criminal Force and Assault
Section 359 to 374                    Offfences of Kidnapping, Abduction, Slavery and Forced Labour
Section 375 to 376                    Offences of Sexual Rape or attempt to rape.
Section 377                               Unnatural Offences
Section 378 to 382                    Offences of Theft
Section 383 to 389                    Offences of Extortion   
Section 390 to 402                    Offences of robbery or Dacoity
Section 403 to 404                    Offences of Criminal Misappropriation of Property
Section 405 to 409                    Offences of Criminal Breach of Trust
Section 410 to 414                    Offences of receiving Stolen Property
Section 415 to 420                    Offences of Cheating
Section 421 to 424                    Offences of Fraudulent Deeds and Disposition of Property
Section 425 to 440                    Offences of Mischeif
Section 441 to 462                    Offences of Criminal Trepass
Section 478 to 489                    Offences relating to Documents and Property Marks
Section 489A, 489B                   Offences relatin to Currency Notes (1958)
Section 490 to 492                    Offences of Criminal Breach of Contracts of Service
Section 493 to 498                    Offences related to Marriage
Section 498A                            Offences of Cruelty by Husband or Relatives of Husband(1983)
Section 499 to 502                    Defamation
Section 503 to 510                    Offences of Criminal Intimidation, Insult and Annoyance
Section 511                               Attempt to Commit Offences