22 days left — Registration closes 2026-10-31.

IPC · Chapter V · Of abetment

IPC section 117 in the BNS

IPC 117BNS 57

IPC section 117, “Abetting commission of offence by the public or by more than ten persons”, is now BNS section 57 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, in force from 1 July 2024.

What changed

From IPC 117 to BNS 57

Now BNS section 57, and the punishment is heavier: imprisonment of up to seven years and fine (IPC: up to three years, or fine, or both).

The official text

Old and new, side by side

Indian Penal Code, 1860

Section 117 Abetting commission of offence by the public or by more than ten persons

Whoever abets the commission of an offence by the public generally or by any number or class of persons exceeding ten, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.

A affixes in a public place a placard instigating a sect consisting of more than ten members to meet at a certain time and place, for the purpose of attacking the members of an adverse sect, while engaged in a procession. A has committed the offence defined in this section.

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023

Section 57 Abetting commission of offence by public or by more than ten persons

Whoever abets the commission of an offence by the public generally or by any number or class of persons exceeding ten, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years and with fine.

Illustration.

A affixes in a public place a placard instigating a sect consisting of more than ten members to meet at a certain time and place, for the purpose of attacking the members of an adverse sect, while engaged in a procession. A has committed the offence defined in this section.

The texts are India Code’s. The amendment markers and footnotes of the official print are left out, so the old section reads as it stood when it was repealed; State amendments are not shown. The PDFs linked below carry the full history.

Old law or new?

Which one applies to a case

The BNS repealed the IPC from 1 July 2024 (section 358(1)). The repeal does not reach back: under section 358(2), penalties and punishments incurred for offences committed against the IPC still stand, and proceedings for them may be started, continued and enforced as if the IPC had not been repealed. An act done before 1 July 2024 is therefore dealt with under the IPC section; an act done on or after that date, under the BNS.

Sources

Prepare with CLATcoach, free

A free account gives you a full mock, a past paper for every exam, the daily questions, twelve Legal GK headings and a report on where you stand.

Create a free account