Section 1 IPC: Title and extent of operation of the Code

Indian Penal Code, 1860

Section 1 IPC at a Glance

Section 1 IPC deals with title and extent of operation of the Code. From 1 July 2024 it is replaced by Section 1(1) BNS.

Punishment

None. Section 1 IPC creates no offence.

BNS Equivalent

Section 1(1) →

Section 1 IPC Bare Act Text

1. Title and extent of operation of the Code

This Act shall be called the Indian Penal Code, and shall extend to the whole of India.

Source: Section 1, Indian Penal Code, 1860

Section 1 IPC in Simple Words

Section 1 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) establishes the title of the Code and extends its operation to the whole of India. Until 2019 the provision excepted the State of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 omitted that exception with effect from 31 October 2019. Section 1 IPC is a preliminary provision that defines no offence and prescribes no punishment.

It has no entry in the First Schedule to the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, and compounding under Section 320 CrPC does not apply.

Ingredients of Section 1 IPC

  • The Act shall be called the Indian Penal Code
  • The Act shall extend to the whole of India

Punishment Under Section 1 IPC

Imprisonment

None. Section 1 IPC creates no offence.

Fine

None. Section 1 IPC creates no offence.

Section 1 IPC establishes the title and territorial extent of the Code. It defines no offence and has no entry in the First Schedule to the CrPC.

Example of Section 1 IPC

In 2018, Mahesh broke into a locked warehouse in Kochi during the night and removed copper cables belonging to Ramesh. When Ramesh reported the burglary at the local police station, the investigating officer registered a case under the general criminal statute governing offences across India. Because the incident took place in Kerala, a territory within India, the statute applied to the place of the crime, and the court record cited the enactment by its statutory name, the Indian Penal Code, in accordance with Section 1 IPC.

When Section 1 IPC Does Not Apply

  • Section 1 IPC does not determine which individuals are subject to criminal liability for conduct occurring inside or outside Indian territory.
  • Section 1 IPC does not alter or override the operation of any special statute, local enactment, or military law governing mutiny and desertion.
  • Section 1 IPC does not define any criminal offence or prescribe any sentence or fine for unlawful conduct.

Section 1 IPC in the BNS

Section 1 IPC is now covered under Section 1(1) BNS.

Section 1(1) IPC corresponds to Section 1(1) BNS. Section 1(1) BNS names the new statute the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, but omits the territorial extent clause found in Section 1(1) IPC. Section 1(2) BNS introduces a new commencement provision, while subsequent sub-sections of Section 1 BNS absorb the rules formerly located in Section 2 to Section 5 IPC.

View detailed comparison (IPC 1 vs BNS 1(1)) →

FAQs on Section 1 IPC

What does Section 1 IPC say?▼

Section 1 IPC provides that the Act shall be called the Indian Penal Code, and shall extend to the whole of India.

Did Section 1 IPC apply to Jammu and Kashmir?▼

Section 1 IPC originally excepted the State of Jammu and Kashmir. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 omitted that exception with effect from 31 October 2019, extending the Code to the territory.

Does Section 1 IPC define an offence or prescribe punishment?▼

Section 1 IPC defines no offence and prescribes no punishment. It serves only as a preliminary title and extent clause.

Is Section 1 IPC bailable or cognizable?▼

Section 1 IPC creates no offence and has no entry in the First Schedule to the CrPC. Procedural classifications like bail and cognizance apply only to substantive offences.

Can proceedings be compounded under Section 1 IPC?▼

Compounding under Section 320 CrPC does not apply to Section 1 IPC because the section creates no offence.

Which provision of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita corresponds to Section 1 IPC?▼

Section 1(1) BNS corresponds to Section 1 IPC, naming the new statute the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

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

Sources: Bare Act Text, Indian Penal Code, 1860 · Last updated: 16 Oct 2026 ·