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Wednesday, 11 November 2026 Judgments, law jobs and study notes, written by a practising advocate
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter VII: Of Offences Against The State

Section 151 BNS: Assaulting President, Governor, etc., with intent to compel or restrain exercise of any lawful power

Corresponding IPC
Section 124 IPC
Punishment
Imprisonment up to 7 years, and fine

Classification of offence

SectionCognizable?Bailable?Triable by
151CognizableNon-bailableCourt of Session

As per the First Schedule to the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.

Bare Act text

Whoever, with the intention of inducing or compelling the President of India, or Governor of any State, to exercise or refrain from exercising in any manner any of the lawful powers of such President or Governor, assaults or wrongfully restrains, or attempts wrongfully to restrain, or overawes, by means of criminal force or the show of criminal force, or attempts so to overawe, such President or Governor, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.

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

Punishes assaulting, wrongfully restraining, or overawing by criminal force the President or a Governor, or attempting these, with intent to compel or induce the exercise or non-exercise of lawful powers.

Chapter VII: Of Offences Against The State

  1. 147 Waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against Government of
  2. 148 Conspiracy to commit offences punishable by section 147
  3. 149 Collecting arms, etc., with intention of waging war against Government of India
  4. 150 Concealing with intent to facilitate design to wage war
  5. 151 Assaulting President, Governor, etc., with intent to compel or restrain exercise of any lawful power
  6. 152 Act endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India
  7. 153 Waging war against Government of any foreign State at peace with Government of India
  8. 154 Committing depredation on territories of foreign State at peace with Government of India
  9. 155 Receiving property taken by war or depredation mentioned in sections 153 and 154
  10. 156 Public servant voluntarily allowing prisoner of State or war to escape
  11. 157 Public servant negligently suffering such prisoner to escape
  12. 158 Aiding escape of, rescuing or harbouring such prisoner
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