Skip to content
Wednesday, 11 November 2026 Judgments, law jobs and study notes, written by a practising advocate
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter VI: Of Offences Affecting The Human Body

Section 116 BNS: Grievous hurt

Corresponding IPC
Section 320 IPC

Bare Act text

The following kinds of hurt only are designated as “grievous”, namely:—

(a) Emasculation;

(b) Permanent privation of the sight of either eye;

(c) Permanent privation of the hearing of either ear;

(d) Privation of any member or joint;

(e) Destruction or permanent impairing of the powers of any member or joint;

(f) Permanent disfiguration of the head or face;

(g) Fracture or dislocation of a bone or tooth;

(h) Any hurt which endangers life or which causes the sufferer to be during the space of fifteen days in severe bodily pain, or unable to follow his ordinary pursuits.

Text as enacted in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (Act No. 45 of 2023), in force from 1 July 2024. Source: India Code, Government of India.

In simple words

Lists the kinds of hurt designated grievous, including emasculation, permanent loss of sight or hearing, privation of a member or joint, permanent disfiguration of head or face, fracture or dislocation of bone or tooth, and hurt endangering life or causing severe pain or inability to pursue ordinary pursuits for fifteen days.

Chapter VI: Of Offences Affecting The Human Body

  1. 100 Culpable homicide
  2. 101 Murder
  3. 102 Culpable homicide by causing death of person other than person whose death was intended
  4. 103 Punishment for murder
  5. 104 Punishment for murder by life-convict
  6. 105 Punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder
  7. 106 Causing death by negligence
  8. 107 Abetment of suicide of child or person of unsound mind
  9. 108 Abetment of suicide
  10. 109 Attempt to murder
  11. 110 Attempt to commit culpable homicide
  12. 111 Organised crime
  13. 112 Petty organised crime
  14. 113 Terrorist act
  15. 114 Hurt
  16. 115 Voluntarily causing hurt
  17. 116 Grievous hurt
  18. 117 Voluntarily causing grievous hurt
  19. 118 Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means
  20. 119 Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to extort property, or to constrain to an illegal act
  21. 120 Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to extort confession, or to compel restoration of property
  22. 121 Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to deter public servant from his duty
  23. 122 Voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt on provocation
  24. 123 Causing hurt by means of poison, etc., with intent to commit an offence
  25. 124 Voluntarily causing grievous hurt by use of acid, etc
  26. 125 Act endangering life or personal safety of others
  27. 126 Wrongful restraint
  28. 127 Wrongful confinement
  29. 128 Force
  30. 129 Criminal force
  31. 130 Assault
  32. 131 Punishment for assault or criminal force otherwise than on grave provocation
  33. 132 Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty
  34. 133 Assault or criminal force with intent to dishonour person, otherwise than on grave provocation
  35. 134 Assault or criminal force in attempt to commit theft of property carried by a person
  36. 135 Assault or criminal force in attempt to wrongfully confine a person
  37. 136 Assault or criminal force on grave provocation
  38. 137 Kidnapping
  39. 138 Abduction
  40. 139 Kidnapping or maiming a child for purposes of begging
  41. 140 Kidnapping or abducting in order to murder or for ransom, etc
  42. 141 Importation of girl or boy from foreign country
  43. 142 Wrongfully concealing or keeping in confinement, kidnapped or abducted person
  44. 143 Trafficking of person
  45. 144 Exploitation of a trafficked person
  46. 145 Habitual dealing in slaves
  47. 146 Unlawful compulsory labour
ShareWhatsAppTelegramLinkedInX