IPC · Chapter VII · Of offences relating to the Army, Navy and Air Force

IPC section 131 in the BNS

IPC 131BNS 159

IPC section 131, “Abetting mutiny, or attempting to seduce a soldier, sailor or airman from his duty”, is now BNS section 159 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, in force from 1 July 2024.

What changed

From IPC 131 to BNS 159

Now BNS section 159, with the same punishment. The Explanation listing the service Acts under which a person counts as an officer, soldier, sailor or airman is dropped.

The official text

Old and new, side by side

Indian Penal Code, 1860

Section 131 Abetting mutiny, or attempting to seduce a soldier, sailor or airman from his duty

Whoever abets the committing of mutiny by an officer, soldier, sailor or airman, in the Army, Navy or Air Force of the Government of India or attempts to seduce any such officer, soldier,sailor or airman from his allegiance or his duty, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.

Explanation.—In this section the words “officer”, “soldier”, “sailor” and “airman” include any person subject to the Army Act, the Army Act, 1950 (46 of 1950), the Naval Discipline Act,the Indian Navy (Discipline) Act,1934 (34 of 1934) the Air Force Act or the Air Force Act, 1950 (45 of 1950), as the case may be.

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023

Section 159 Abetting mutiny, or attempting to seduce a soldier, sailor or airman from his duty

Whoever abets the committing of mutiny by an officer, soldier, sailor or airman, in the Army, Navy or Air Force of the Government of India or attempts to seduce any such officer, soldier, sailor or airman from his allegiance or his duty, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.

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amendment markers and footnotes of the official print are left out, so the old section reads as it stood when it was repealed; State amendments are not shown.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The BNS repealed the IPC from 1 July 2024 (section 358(1)).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.