IPC §16
[Repealed.]
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Comparison
16. [Definition of “Government of India”.] Rep., ibid. 1. Subs. by Act 36 of 1957, s. 3 and Schedule II, for “lllustrations” 2. The brackets and letter “(a)” omitted by s. 3 and the Second Sch., ibid. 3. Subs. by the A.O. 1948, for “a coolie, who is a Native Indian subject” 4. Subs. by the A.O. 1950, for “a British subject of Indian domicile”. 5. The words “British India” have been successively amended by the A.O. 1948, the A.O. 1950 and Act 3 of 1951, s. 3 and the Sch., to read as above. 6. Illustrations (b), (c) and (d) omitted by the A.O. 1950. 7. Subs., ibid., for section 5. 8. Subs., ibid., for section 14.
What changedAI-inferred
There is no corresponding BNS provision. The repeal happened decades before the BNS replaced the IPC, so the absence here is not a result of the 2024 transition. The section number is preserved in the IPC sequence but contains no operative text in present-day IPC; the function of defining "Government" is currently carried by IPC Section 17.
Old position
IPC Section 16 originally defined the term Government of India (referred to in some editions as British Government). The section was repealed via colonial-era adaptation orders well before the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 came into force on 1 July 2024.
New position
There is no corresponding BNS provision. The repeal happened decades before the BNS replaced the IPC, so the absence here is not a result of the 2024 transition. The section number is preserved in the IPC sequence but contains no operative text in present-day IPC; the function of defining "Government" is currently carried by IPC Section 17.
Editorial deltaAI-indicated (source-linked)
IPC Section 16 had already been repealed before the BNS came into force; therefore there is no corresponding BNS provision to compare. The original IPC 16 defined the term Government of India (also referred to in some editions as British Government). The exact repealing instrument is reported variously across sources — most commonly as the Government of India (Adaptation of Indian Laws) Order, 1937, with subsequent adaptations under the Adaptation of Laws Order, 1950. The functional space of defining "Government" was subsequently absorbed by IPC Section 17, but that intra-IPC restructuring happened pre-1950 and is independent of the IPC-to-BNS transition. The repealing-instrument identity is recorded here as descriptive metadata; for our schema layer, the operative fact is that the section was not present in the IPC at the time of BNS enactment.
Transitional note (repeal & savings)
For matters initiated before 1 July 2024, IPC 16 continues to apply. The new code does not carry forward this section as a directly corresponding provision; see the change-note for details.
Frequently asked
No. IPC Section 16 was repealed by colonial-era adaptation orders — long before the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita came into force in 2024. There is no current IPC 16 text and no BNS counterpart.
Sources
- India Code — Indian Penal Code, 1860 (pending verification)
- Government of India (Adaptation of Indian Laws) Order, 1937 (pending verification of repealing instrument)
- Adaptation of Laws Order, 1950 (subsequent adaptations)
Cite this page
Newlaws.in, IPC §16 Mapping Page, last updated 2026-05-01, accessed 2026-06-14, https://newlaws.in/ipc/16.
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.