IPC · Chapter XIV · Of offences affecting the public health, safety, convenience, decency and morals
IPC section 270, “Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life”, is now BNS section 272 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, in force from 1 July 2024.
Now BNS section 272, with the same offence and punishment.
Indian Penal Code, 1860
Whoever malignantly does any act which is, and which he knows or has reason the believe to be, likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
Whoever malignantly does any act which is, and which he knows or has reason to believe to be, likely to spread the infection of any disease dangerous to life, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
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amendment markers and footnotes of the official print are left out, so the old section reads as it stood when it was repealed; State amendments are not shown.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.
The BNS repealed the IPC from 1 July 2024 (section 358(1)).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against the IPC still stand, and proceedings for them may be started, continued and enforced as if the IPC had not been repealed.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.
