Section 279 CrPC: Interpretation of evidence to accused or his pleader

Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973

Section 279 CrPC at a Glance

Section 279 CrPC deals with interpretation of evidence to accused or his pleader. From 1 July 2024 it is replaced by Section 314 BNSS.

Now BNSS

Section 314 →

What Section 279 CrPC Says

279. Interpretation of evidence to accused or his pleader

(1) Whenever any evidence is given in a language not understood by the accused, and he is present in Court in person, it shall be interpreted to him in open Court in a language understood by him.

(2) If he appears by pleader and the evidence is given in a language other than the language of the Court, and not understood by the pleader, it shall be interpreted to such pleader in that language.

(3) When documents are put for the purpose of formal proof, it shall be in the discretion of the Court to interpret as much thereof as appears necessary.

Source: Section 279, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973

Section 279 CrPC in Simple Words

Section 279 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 speaks of the interpretation of evidence. Evidence given in a language not understood by the accused, who is present in Court in person, shall be interpreted in open Court in a language understood by the accused.

If the accused appears by pleader and the evidence is given in a language other than the language of the Court, and not understood by the pleader, it shall be interpreted to the pleader in that language. When documents are put for the purpose of formal proof, it shall be in the discretion of the Court to interpret as much of them as appears necessary.

When Section 279 CrPC Applies

  • Evidence given in a language not understood by the accused, who is present in Court in person, shall be interpreted in open Court in a language understood by the accused.
  • If the accused appears by pleader and the evidence is given in a language other than the language of the Court, and not understood by the pleader, it shall be interpreted to the pleader in that language.
  • When documents are put for the purpose of formal proof, it shall be in the discretion of the Court to interpret as much of them as appears necessary.

Example of Section 279 CrPC

A witness gives evidence in a language not understood by the accused Anil, who is present in Court in person. The evidence shall be interpreted to Anil in open Court in a language Anil understands. The accused Salma appears by pleader, Kiran, and the evidence is given in a language other than the language of the Court, which Kiran does not understand. The evidence shall be interpreted to Kiran in that language.

When Section 279 CrPC Does Not Apply

  • Section 279 CrPC speaks of interpreting evidence to the accused or his pleader. It does not deal with the duty of an interpreter to state the true interpretation, which is the subject of Section 282 CrPC.
  • Section 279 CrPC speaks of interpreting evidence. It does not deal with reading over a witness's evidence to the witness, which is the subject of Section 278 CrPC.

Section 279 CrPC Under BNSS 314: What Changed

Section 279 CrPC is now covered under Section 314 BNSS.

Section 279 CrPC is found in Section 314 BNSS from 1 July 2024. Section 314 BNSS reads advocate in its heading where Section 279 CrPC reads pleader, and reads advocate in Section 314(2) BNSS where Section 279(2) CrPC read pleader. Section 314(1) BNSS and Section 314(3) BNSS read as Section 279(1) CrPC and Section 279(3) CrPC do.

View detailed comparison (CrPC 279 vs BNSS 314) →

FAQs on Section 279 CrPC

What does Section 279(1) CrPC say where the accused is present in Court in person?▼

Whenever any evidence is given in a language not understood by the accused, and he is present in Court in person, it shall be interpreted to him in open Court in a language understood by him.

What does Section 279(2) CrPC say where the accused appears by pleader?▼

If the evidence is given in a language other than the language of the Court, and not understood by the pleader, it shall be interpreted to such pleader in that language.

What does Section 279(3) CrPC say about documents put for formal proof?▼

It shall be in the discretion of the Court to interpret as much thereof as appears necessary.

Where is Section 279 CrPC found in the BNSS from 1 July 2024?▼

Section 279(1) CrPC is found in Section 314(1) BNSS, Section 279(2) CrPC in Section 314(2) BNSS and Section 279(3) CrPC in Section 314(3) BNSS.

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

Sources: Bare Act Text, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 · Last updated: 20 Oct 2026 ·