BNS §198
Public servant disobeying law, with intent to cause injury to any person
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Comparison
166. Public servant disobeying law, with intent to cause injury to any person.—Whoever, being a public servant, knowingly disobeys any direction of the law as to the way in which he is to conduct himself as such public servant, intending to cause, or knowing it to be likely that he will by such disobedience, cause injury to any person, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both. IIIustration A, being an officer directed by law to take property in execution, in order to satisfy a decree pronounced in Z's favour by a Court of Justice, knowingly disobeys that direction of law, with the knowledge that he is likely thereby to cause injury to Z. A has committed the offence defined in this section.
Whoever, being a public servant, knowingly disobeys any direction of the law as to the way in which he is to conduct himself as such public servant, intending to cause, or knowing it to be likely that he will by such disobedience, cause injury to any person, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.
What changedAI-inferred
IPC 166 (public servant knowingly disobeying any direction of the law with intent to cause injury, or knowing it to be likely that he will cause injury, to any person; punishment: simple imprisonment up to 1 year, fine, or both) is preserved character-identically as BNS 198. The illustration (officer disobeying decree-execution direction causing injury to decree-holder Z) is preserved verbatim.
Old position
IPC 166 is concerned with Public servant disobeying law, with intent to cause injury to any person. Public servant disobeying law, with intent to cause injury to any person
New position
BNS 198 preserves the framework with drafting modernisations as required by the new code. Topic: Public servant disobeying law, with intent to cause injury to any person. Whoever, being a public servant, knowingly disobeys any direction of the law as to the way in which he is to conduct himself as such public servant, intending to cause, or knowing it to be likely that he will by such disobedience, cause
IPC 166 (public servant knowingly disobeying any direction of the law with intent to cause injury, or knowing it to be likely that he will cause injury, to any person; punishment: simple imprisonment up to 1 year, fine, or both) is preserved character-identically as BNS 198. The illustration...
Editorial deltaAI-indicated (source-linked)
IPC 166 (public servant knowingly disobeying any direction of the law with intent to cause injury, or knowing it to be likely that he will cause injury, to any person; punishment: simple imprisonment up to 1 year, fine, or both) is preserved character-identically as BNS 198. The illustration (officer disobeying decree-execution direction causing injury to decree-holder Z) is preserved verbatim.
Transitional note (repeal & savings)
For matters initiated before 1 July 2024, IPC 166 continues to apply. For matters from that date forward, BNS 198 applies. The transition is governed by the repeal-and-savings clause in the new code (BNS 358 / BNSS 531 / BSA 170 as the case may be); pending proceedings under the old code carry forward unaffected.
Frequently asked
BNS 198 (Public servant disobeying law, with intent to cause injury to any person). The relationship is classified as substantively_same — see the change-note above for the textual delta.
Sources
- India Code — Indian Penal Code, 1860
- Gazette of India — Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
Cite this page
Newlaws.in, IPC §166 → BNS §198 Mapping Page, last updated 2026-05-01, accessed 2026-06-14, https://newlaws.in/bns/198.
Compiled using AI-assisted tools · Source-linked · Last updated 2026-05-01
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