299. Whoever, with deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings of any class of citizens of India, by words, either spoken or written, or by signs or by visible representations or through electronic means or otherwise, insults or attempts to insult the religion or the religious beliefs of that class, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.
IPC Section 295A in BNS: Section 299
Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs
Section 295A of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) corresponds to Section 299 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, in force from 1 July 2024. Under the BNSS First Schedule, BNS 299 is cognizable, non-bailable, triable by Magistrate of the first class; punishment: Imprisonment for 3 years, or fine, or both.
Bail, cognizability and punishment
| Section | Offence | Punishment | Cognizable | Bailable | Triable by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 299 | Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs. | Imprisonment for 3 years, or fine, or both. | Cognizable | Non-bailable | Magistrate of the first class |
Source: BNSS, 2023, First Schedule, Part I.
The BNS applies to offences committed on or after 1 July 2024. Offences committed earlier are charged and tried under the IPC.
Text of BNS Section 299
Full BNS Section 299 and every IPC section it replaced →
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