IPC §119 → BNS §59
Public servant concealing design to commit offence which it is his duty to prevent. if offence be committed; if offence be punishable with death, etc. if offence be not committed
Jump to section
Comparison
119. Public servant concealing design to commit offence which it is his duty to prevent.— Whoever, being a public servant intending to facilitate or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby facilitate the commission of an offence which it is his duty as such public servant to prevent, 1[voluntarily conceals, by any act or illegal omission or by the use of encryption or any other information hiding tool, the existence of a design] to commit such offence, or makes any representation which he knows to be false respecting such design, if offence be committed.—shall, if the offence be committed, be punished with imprisonment of any description provided for the offence, for a term which may extend to one-half of the longest term of such imprisonment, or with such fine as is provided for that offence, or with both; if offence be punishable with death, etc.—or, if the offence be punishable with death or 2[imprisonment for life], with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years; if offence be not committed.—or, if the offence be not committed, shall be punished with imprisonment of any description provided for the offence for a term which may extend to one-fourth part of the longest term of such imprisonment or with such fine as is provided for the offence, or with both. Illustration A, an officer of police, being legally bound to give information of all designs to commit robbery which may come to his knowledge, and knowing that B designs to commit robbery, omits to give such information, with intent to facilitate the commission of that offence. Here A has by an illegal omission concealed the existence of B's design, and is liable to punishment according to the provision of this section.
Whoever, being a public servant, intending to facilitate or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby facilitate the commission of an offence which it is his duty as such public servant to prevent, voluntarily conceals, by any act or omission or by the use of encryption or any other information hiding tool, the existence of a design to commit such offence, or makes any representation which he knows to be false respecting such design shall,—
(a) if the offence be committed, be punished with imprisonment of any description provided for the offence, for a term which may extend to one-half of the longest term of such imprisonment, or with such fine as is provided for that offence, or with both; or
(b) if the offence be punishable with death or imprisonment for life, with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years; or
(c) if the offence be not committed, shall be punished with imprisonment of any description provided for the offence for a term which may extend to one-fourth part of the longest term of such imprisonment or with such fine as is provided for the offence, or with both.
What changedAI-inferred
IPC Section 119 prescribed punishment for a public servant concealing the design to commit an offence which it was his duty to prevent. The means of concealment in IPC 119 were limited to any act or illegal omission. BNS Section 59 retains the same offence structure and the three-tier punishment scheme — sub-clauses (a) committed, (b) death-or-life imprisonment offence, (c) not committed — and extends the means-of-concealment list to include 'or by the use of encryption or any other information hiding tool'. Same encryption-clause addition as BNS 58, applied at the public-servant-duty layer.
Old position
IPC 119 is concerned with Public servant concealing design to commit offence which it is his duty to prevent. if offence be committed; if offence be punishable with death, etc. if offence be not committed. Public servant concealing design to commit offence which it is his duty to prevent
New position
BNS 59 modifies the framework. Topic: Public servant concealing design to commit offence which it is his duty to prevent. Whoever, being a public servant, intending to facilitate or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby facilitate the commission of an offence which it is his duty as such public servant to prevent, voluntarily conceals, by any act or
IPC Section 119 prescribed punishment for a public servant concealing the design to commit an offence which it was his duty to prevent. The means of concealment in IPC 119 were limited to any act or illegal omission . BNS Section 59 retains the same offence structure and the three-tier punishment...
Editorial deltaAI-indicated (source-linked)
BNS 59 carries forward IPC 119's framework for the aggravated public-servant version of the concealment-of-design offence. The visible operative delta is the addition of use of encryption or any other information hiding tool as a mode of concealment, parallel to the IPC 118 -> BNS 58 change. Punishment levels are preserved.
Transitional note (repeal & savings)
For matters initiated before 1 July 2024, IPC 119 continues to apply. For matters from that date forward, BNS 59 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 59 (Public servant concealing design to commit offence which it is his duty to prevent). 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 §119 → BNS §59 Mapping Page, last updated 2026-05-01, accessed 2026-06-14, https://newlaws.in/ipc/119.
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.