Sections 295 to 298

THE INDIAN PENAL CODE, 1860

CONTENTS

CHAPTER XV

OF OFFENCES RELATING TO RELIGION

295. Injuring
or defiling place or worship with intent to insult the religion of any class

295A. Deliberate
and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by
insulting its religion or religious beliefs

296. Disturbing
religious assembly

297. Trespassing
on burial places, etc.

298. Uttering,
words, etc., with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of any
person

CHAPTER XV

OF OFFENCES
RELATING TO RELIGION

295. Injuring
or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class: -- Whoever destroys,
damages or defiles any place of worship, or any object held sacred by any class
of persons with the intention of thereby insulting the religion of any class of
persons or with the knowledge that any class of persons is likely to consider
such destruction, damage or defilement as a insult to their religion, shall be
punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to
two years, or with fine, or with both.

¹[295A. Deliberate and
malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by
insulting its religion or religious beliefs: -- Whoever, with
deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings of any
class of ²[citizens of India], ³[by words, either spoken or written, or by
signs or by visible representations or otherwise], insults or attempts to
insult the religion or the religious beliefs of that class, shall be punished
with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ⁴[three years], or with fine, or with both.]

1. Ins. by Act 25 of
1927, s. 2.

2. Subs. by the A.O.
1950, for “His Majesty’s subjects”.

3. Subs. by Act 41 of
1961, s. 3, for certain words.

4. Subs. by Act 41 of
1961, s. 3, for “two years”.

296. Disturbing
religious assembly: --Whoever voluntarily causes disturbance to any assembly lawfully engaged
in the performance of religious worship, or religious ceremonies, shall be
punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to
one year, or with fine, or with both.

297. Trespassing
on burial places, etc.: --Whoever, with the intention of wounding the feelings of any person,
or of insulting the religion of any person, or with the knowledge that the
feelings of any person are likely to be wounded, or that the religion or any
person is likely to be insulted thereby,

Commits any trespass in any
place of worship or on any place of sepulture, or any place set apart from the
performance of funeral rites or as a depository for the remains of the dead, or
offers any indignity to any human corpse, or causes disturbance to any persons
assembled for the performance of funeral ceremonies,

Shall be punished with
imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or
with fine, or with both.

298. Uttering,
words, etc., with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of any
person:
--Whoever, with the deliberate intention of wounding the religious feelings of
any person, utters any word or makes any sound in the hearing of that person or
makes any gesture in the sight of that person or places any object in the sight
of that person, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a
term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.

Posted in: Sections 295 to 298