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Thursday, 12 November 2026 Judgments, law jobs and study notes, written by a practising advocate
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter XI: Maintenance Of Public Order And Tranquillity

Section 150 BNSS: Power of certain armed force officers to disperse assembly

Corresponding CrPC
Section 131 CrPC

Bare Act text

When the public security is manifestly endangered by any such assembly and no Executive Magistrate can be communicated with, any commissioned or gazetted officer of the armed forces may disperse such assembly with the help of the armed forces under his command, and may arrest and confine any persons forming part of it, in order to disperse such assembly or that they may be punished according to law; but if, while he is acting under this section, it becomes practicable for him to communicate with an Executive Magistrate, he shall do so, and shall thenceforward obey the instructions of the Magistrate, as to whether he shall or shall not continue such action.

Text as enacted in the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (Act No. 46 of 2023), in force from 1 July 2024. Source: India Code, Government of India.

In simple words

Allows a commissioned or gazetted officer of the armed forces to disperse an assembly that manifestly endangers public security when no Executive Magistrate can be communicated with, and to arrest and confine persons. If it becomes practicable to communicate with an Executive Magistrate, the officer must do so.

Chapter XI: Maintenance Of Public Order And Tranquillity

  1. 148 Dispersal of assembly by use of civil force
  2. 149 Use of armed forces to disperse assembly
  3. 150 Power of certain armed force officers to disperse assembly
  4. 151 Protection against prosecution for acts done under sections 148, 149 and 150
  5. 152 Conditional order for removal of nuisance
  6. 153 Service or notification of order
  7. 154 Person to whom order is addressed to obey or show cause
  8. 155 Penalty for failure to comply with section 154
  9. 156 Procedure where existence of public right is denied
  10. 157 Procedure where person against whom order is made under section 152 appears to show-cause
  11. 158 Power of Magistrate to direct local investigation and examination of an expert
  12. 159 Power of Magistrate to furnish written instructions, etc
  13. 160 Procedure on order being made absolute and consequences of disobedience
  14. 161 Injunction pending inquiry
  15. 162 Magistrate may prohibit repetition or Continuance of public nuisance
  16. 163 Power to issue order in urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger
  17. 164 Procedure where dispute concerning land or water is likely to cause breach of peace
  18. 165 Power to attach subject of dispute and to appoint receiver
  19. 166 Dispute concerning right of use of land or water
  20. 167 Local inquiry
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