BNS §222
Omission to assist public servant when bound by law to give assistance
Jump to section
Comparison
187. Omission to assist public servant when bound by law to give assistance.—Whoever, being bound by law to render or furnish assistance to any public servant in the execution of his public duty, intentionally omits to give such assistance, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one month, or with fine which may extend to two hundred rupees, or with both; 1. The words “British India” have successively been subs. by the A. O. 1948, the A. O. 1950 and Act 3 of 1951, s. 3 and the Sch., to read as above. 2. Subs. by Act 3 of 1895, s. 1, for section 182. and if such assistance be demanded of him by a public servant legally competent to make such demand for the purposes of executing any process lawfully issued by a Court of Justice, or of preventing the commission of an offence, or suppressing a riot, or affray, or of apprehending a person charged with or guilty of an offence, or of having escaped from lawful custody, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with both.
Whoever, being bound by law to render or furnish assistance to any public servant in the execution of his public duty, intentionally omits to give such assistance,—
(a) shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one month, or with fine which may extend to two thousand and five hundred rupees, or with both;
(b) and where such assistance be demanded of him by a public servant legally competent to make such demand for the purposes of executing any process lawfully issued by a Court or of preventing the commission of an offence, or suppressing a riot, or affray, or of apprehending a person charged with or guilty of an offence, or of having escaped from lawful custody, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees, or with both.
What changedAI-inferred
IPC 187 (omission to assist public servant when bound by law) is preserved as BNS 222 with fine-cap modernisation in both sub-clauses. Imprisonment ceilings (1 month basic; 6 months for court-process / preventing-offence / suppressing-riot / apprehending-offender contexts) preserved.
Old position
IPC 187 is concerned with Omission to assist public servant when bound by law to give assistance. Omission to assist public servant when bound by law to give assistance
New position
BNS 222 modifies the framework. Topic: Omission to assist public servant when bound by law to give assistance. Whoever, being bound by law to render or furnish assistance to any public servant in the execution of his public duty, intentionally omits to give such assistance,
IPC 187 (omission to assist public servant when bound by law) is preserved as BNS 222 with fine-cap modernisation in both sub-clauses. Imprisonment ceilings (1 month basic; 6 months for court-process / preventing-offence / suppressing-riot / apprehending-offender contexts) preserved.
Editorial deltaAI-indicated (source-linked)
BNS-222 reproduces the operative content of IPC-187 on omission to assist public servant but reorganises the punishment-or-condition layer into structured (a)/(b) sub-clauses. Punishment levels are preserved.
Transitional note (repeal & savings)
For matters initiated before 1 July 2024, IPC 187 continues to apply. For matters from that date forward, BNS 222 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 222 (Omission to assist public servant when bound by law to give assistance). The relationship is classified as modified — 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 §187 → BNS §222 Mapping Page, last updated 2026-05-01, accessed 2026-06-14, https://newlaws.in/bns/222.
Compiled using AI-assisted tools · Source-linked · Last updated 2026-05-01
Not legal advice. Verify against the bare act and consult a qualified advocate for any specific matter.