Section 337 BNS: Forgery of record of Court or of public register, etc

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023

Section 337 BNS at a Glance

Section 337 BNS deals with forgery of record of Court or of public register, etc. It is non-bailable and non-cognizable, triable by Magistrate of the first class; it replaced Section 466 IPC on 1 July 2024.

Punishment

Imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years.

Non-Bailable ⓘNon-Cognizable ⓘNon-Compoundable ⓘ🏛️ Magistrate of the first class ⓘ
IPC Equivalent

Section 466 →

Section 337 BNS Bare Act Text

337. Forgery of record of Court or of public register, etc.

Whoever forges a document or an electronic record, purporting to be a record or proceeding of or in a Court or an identity document issued by Government including voter identity card or Aadhaar Card, or a register of birth, marriage or burial, or a register kept by a public servant as such, or a certificate or document purporting to be made by a public servant in his official capacity, or an authority to institute or defend a suit, or to take any proceedings therein, or to confess judgment, or a power of attorney, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.

Explanation

For the purposes of this section, “register” includes any list, data or record of any entries maintained in the electronic form as defined in clause (r) of sub-section (1) of section 2 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (21 of 2000).

Source: Section 337, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023

Section 337 BNS in Simple Words

Section 337 BNS of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) deals with the forgery of court records, public registers, and important official or legal documents. It applies when a person forges a document or electronic record that purports to be a record or proceeding of or in a Court, a Government-issued identity document including a voter identity card or Aadhaar Card, a register of birth, marriage, or burial, a register kept by a public servant as such, a certificate or document purporting to be made by a public servant in his official capacity, an authority to institute or defend a suit or take proceedings therein or confess judgment, or a power of attorney.

Because these records carry official authority and public trust, the law treats forging them more severely than ordinary forgery. To attract this section, the prosecution must show that the accused committed forgery within the meaning of Section 335 BNS and Section 336(1) BNS, and that the forged document or electronic record purported to be one of the specified records, identity documents, registers, certificates, or legal authorities.

In practice, this section is invoked in cases involving fabricated court orders, fake Aadhaar Cards or voter identity cards, forged birth or marriage registers, and false powers of attorney used in litigation or property transactions. An offence under Section 337 BNS is punishable with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and the offender is also liable to fine.

Ingredients of Section 337 BNS

  • Committing forgery of a document or electronic record under Section 335 BNS and Section 336(1) BNS
  • The document or record purports to be a record or proceeding of or in a Court, or an identity document issued by Government including voter identity card or Aadhaar Card, or a register of birth, marriage or burial, or a register kept by a public servant as such, or an official certificate, authority for proceedings or power of attorney

Punishment Under Section 337 BNS

Imprisonment

Imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years.

Fine

The offender is also liable to fine. The statute does not prescribe a mandatory fine or fix a maximum amount.

Non-Bailable ⓘNon-Cognizable ⓘNon-Compoundable ⓘ🏛️ Magistrate of the first class ⓘ

Forgery of a court record, Government identity document, or public register under Section 337 BNS carries imprisonment of either description for up to seven years, and the offender is also liable to fine.

Example of Section 337 BNS

In Kochi, Devendra was sued by Rakesh in a civil court over a monetary dispute. On his laptop, Devendra fabricated a decree purporting to be signed by the presiding judge dismissing the suit with costs, intending to use the decree to convince a municipal registry to release a frozen leasehold title. No such decree had been passed by the court. Devendra forged a document purporting to be a record of a Court. He is punishable under Section 337 BNS with imprisonment of either description for up to seven years, and he is also liable to fine.

When Section 337 BNS Does Not Apply

  • The document or electronic record was genuine and executed under actual authority from the public servant, court or person whose act it purports to be
  • The document was made or altered without any dishonest or fraudulent intention and without any statutory intent specified in Section 336(1) BNS
  • The forgery involves a purely private instrument that does not purport to be a court record, Government identity document, public register, official certificate, authority to conduct proceedings or power of attorney
  • A mere oral false representation made before a public servant or in a court proceeding without making or altering any document or electronic record

Section 337 BNS in the IPC (Previous Law)

Section 337 BNS replaces Section 466 IPC from the old criminal code.

Section 466 IPC corresponds to Section 337 BNS. The maximum term of imprisonment remains seven years, and the offender is also liable to fine. Section 337 BNS expands the statutory scope by adding an identity document issued by Government including voter identity card or Aadhaar Card. It omits baptism from the listed registers and refers to a Court rather than a Court of Justice. The Explanation relating to electronic registers remains unchanged.

View IPC Section 466 →

FAQs on Section 337 BNS

What does Section 337 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita cover?▼

Section 337 BNS covers forging certain specially important documents or electronic records. These include court records or proceedings, Government identity documents like voter ID and Aadhaar, registers of birth, marriage or burial, registers kept by a public servant, official certificates or documents made by a public servant, authorities to file or defend a suit, and powers of attorney.

Is making a fake Aadhaar card or voter ID covered under Section 337 BNS?▼

Yes. The section specifically includes an identity document issued by Government, including a voter identity card or Aadhaar Card. If such a document or electronic record is forged, Section 337 BNS can apply.

Is Section 337 BNS bailable?▼

No. This is a non-bailable offence, so bail is not a matter of right. The accused must apply to the court, which decides in light of the facts, the seriousness of the allegations, and other relevant circumstances.

What has to be proved for Section 337 BNS to apply?▼

It has to be shown that a document or electronic record was forged, and that it purported to be one of the documents listed in this section. The document must appear to be a court record, Government identity document, public register, official certificate, authority connected with a suit, or a power of attorney.

What is the punishment under Section 337 BNS?▼

Section 337 BNS provides punishment with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and also fine. The exact sentence will depend on the facts of the case.

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Disclaimer: This is for informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified advocate for legal advice.

Sources: Bare Act Text, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 · Last updated: 16 Oct 2026 ·