History of the Indian Penal Code
The first draft of the Indian Penal Code was prepared by the First Law Commission, chaired by Thomas
Babington Macaulay. The draft was based on the simple codification of the law of England, while at the same
time borrowing elements from the Napoleanic Code and Louisiana Civil Code of 1825.
The first draft of the Code was presented before the Governor-General in council in the year 1837, but
subsequent revisions and amendments took two more decades. The complete drafting of the code was done in
1850 and presented to the Legislative Council in 1856. It was delayed being placed on the statute book of British
India due to the Indian Revolt of 1857.
The code came into force on January 1st, 1860 after undergoing many revisions and amendments by Barnes
Peacock who would go on to serve as the first Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court.
Before the advent of the British, the penal law prevailing in India, for the most part, was the Muhammedan law.
For the first few years of its administration, the East India Company did not interfere with the criminal law of the
country and although in 1772, during the administration of Warren Hastings, the Company for the first time
interfered, and henceforth till 1861, from time to time, the British Government did alter the Muhammedan law, yet
up to 1862, when the Indian Penal Code came into operation, the Muhammedan law was undoubtedly the basis
of the criminal law excepting in the presidency towns. The epoch of the administration of Muslim criminal law in
India extended for a considerable period and has even supplied many terms for the vocabulary of Indian law.
Structure of the Indian Penal Code
The IPC in its various sections defines specific crimes and provides punishment for them. It is sub-divided into 23
chapters that comprise of 511 sections. The basic outline of the code is given in the table below:
Indian Penal Code, 1860 (Sections 1 to 511)
Chapter Sections Classification of offences
covered
Chapter I Sections 1 to 5 Introduction
Chapter II Sections 6 to General Explanations
52
Chapter III Sections 53 to Of Punishments
75
Chapter IV Sections 76 to General Exceptions of the Right of Private Defence (Sections 96 to 106)
106
Chapter V Sections 107 Of Abetment
to 120
Chapter Sections 120A Criminal Conspiracy
VA to 120B
Chapter VI Sections 121 Of offences against the state
to 130
Chapter Sections 131 Of Offences relating to the Army, Navy, and Air Force
VII to 140
Chapter Sections 141 Of Offences against the Public Tranquility
VIII to 160
Chapter IX Sections 161 Of Offences by or relating to Public Servants
to 171
Chapter Sections 171A Of Offences Relating to Elections
IXA to 171I
Chapter X Sections 172 Of Contempts of Lawful; Authority of Public Servants
to 190
Chapter XI Sections 191 Of False Evidence and Offence against Public Justice
to 229
Chapter Sections 230 Of Offences relating to coin and Government Stamps
XII to 263
Chapter Sections 264 Of Offences relating to Weight and Measures
XIII to 267
Chapter Sections 268 Of offences affecting the Public Health, Safety, Convenience, Decency and
XIV to 294 Morals
Chapter Sections 295 Of Offences relating to religion
XV to 298
Chapter Sections 299 Of Offences affecting the Human Body.
XVI to 377
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 Sections 378 Of Offences Against Property
XVII to 462
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 Section 463 to Offences relating to Documents and Property Marks
XVIII 489 – E
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 Sections 490 Of the Criminal Breach of Contracts of Service
XIX to 492
Chapter Sections 493 Of Offences Relating to Marriage
XX to 498
Chapter Sections 498A Of Cruelty by Husband or Relatives of Husband
XXA
Chapter Sections 499 Of Defamation
XXI to 502
Chapter Sections 503 Of Criminal intimidation, Insult and Annoyance
XXII to 510
Chapter Section 511 Of Attempts to Commit Offences
XXIII
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