IPC §497

Adultery

No correspondenceConfidence: mediumStatus: cross checkedunclear authority(observed)
Last updated 2026-05-01 · Input coverage: full

Compiled by AI-assisted tools. Text verified against official sources where indicated. Field-level labels (AI-indicated / AI-inferred / Text-verified) apply per edge metadata. Verify current bail/cognizable status against official sources before relying on procedural claims. Last updated: 2026-04-28.

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Comparison

Old law
IPC §497
Adultery

497. Adultery.—Whoever has sexual intercourse with a person who is and whom he knows or has reason to believe to be the wife of another man, without the consent or connivance of that man, such sexual intercourse not amounting to the offence of rape, is guilty of the offence of adultery, and shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years, or with fine, or with both. In such case the wife shall not be punishable as an abettor.

What changedAI-inferred

IPC 497 (adultery) was struck down by the Supreme Court in Joseph Shine v. Union of India (2018) AIR 2018 SC 4898 as unconstitutional. BNS does not carry it forward.

Old position

IPC 497 is concerned with Adultery. Adultery

New position

BNS has no direct counterpart in the new code.

IPC 497 (adultery) was struck down by the Supreme Court in Joseph Shine v. Union of India (2018) AIR 2018 SC 4898 as unconstitutional. BNS does not carry it forward.

Editorial deltaAI-indicated (source-linked)

IPC 497 (adultery) was struck down by the Supreme Court in Joseph Shine v. Union of India (2018) AIR 2018 SC 4898 as unconstitutional. BNS does not carry it forward.

Transitional note (repeal & savings)

Cases registered or proceedings initiated before 1 July 2024 are governed by IPC 497. Where IPC 497 has no successor in the new code, the legal effect depends on whether the matter is one of pre-BNS repeal, externalisation to a sister statute, or constitutional displacement — see the change-note above and the linked sources for specifics.

Frequently asked

IPC 497 has no direct counterpart in the new code. See the change-note above for the specific reason — common patterns include pre-BNS repeal by an earlier amending act, externalisation to a sister statute (e.g., Legal Metrology Act, Mental Healthcare Act), constitutional displacement by a Supreme Court ruling, or editorial omission.

Sources

Cite this page

Newlaws.in, IPC §497 Mapping Page, last updated 2026-05-01, accessed 2026-06-14, https://newlaws.in/ipc/497.

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.