Section 14 IPC: “Servant of Government”

Indian Penal Code, 1860

Section 14 IPC at a Glance

Section 14 IPC defines the term “Servant of Government”. It has no direct equivalent in the BNS.

Punishment

None. Section 14 IPC creates no offence.

Section 14 IPC Bare Act Text

14. “Servant of Government”

The words “servant of Government” denote any officer or servant continued, appointed or employed in India by or under the authority of Government.

Source: Section 14, Indian Penal Code, 1860

Section 14 IPC in Simple Words

Section 14 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) defined the words servant of Government for the purposes of the Code. It provided that the words denote any officer or servant continued, appointed or employed in India by or under the authority of Government.

No other section of the Code used the phrase. The offences concerning officials are framed around public servant, which Section 21 IPC defines.

Section 14 IPC is an interpretative definition that creates 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 14 IPC

  • The words servant of Government denote any officer or servant
  • The officer or servant is continued, appointed or employed in India
  • The employment or appointment is by or under the authority of Government

Punishment Under Section 14 IPC

Imprisonment

None. Section 14 IPC creates no offence.

Fine

None. Section 14 IPC creates no offence.

Section 14 IPC defined servant of Government and creates no offence. It has no entry in the First Schedule to the CrPC.

Example of Section 14 IPC

In 2016 in Madurai, Devendra was appointed as a customs officer in India by the Central Government, while his assistant Pranav was continued and employed in India as a depot servant under the authority of the Central Government. During a departmental review of their positions under the Indian Penal Code, a question arose whether both men satisfied the statutory definition. Because they were an officer and a servant continued, appointed or employed in India by or under the authority of Government, Devendra and Pranav were servants of Government within Section 14 IPC.

When Section 14 IPC Does Not Apply

  • Section 14 IPC does not apply to a person who works for a private business or organisation without being continued, appointed, or employed by or under the authority of Government.
  • Section 14 IPC does not apply to an official employed outside India rather than continued, appointed, or employed in India.
  • Section 14 IPC does not apply to establish any criminal offence on its own because it is solely a definition and prescribes no punishment.

Section 14 IPC in the BNS

Repealed - No equivalent in BNS

The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 omits the definition of servant of Government completely. The term was not employed in the substantive penal provisions of the IPC, and the BNS relies on the definitions of Government in Section 2(12) BNS and public servant in Section 2(28) BNS.

FAQs on Section 14 IPC

What did Section 14 IPC say?▼

Section 14 IPC provided that the words servant of Government denote any officer or servant continued, appointed or employed in India by or under the authority of Government.

Is there an equivalent to Section 14 IPC in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita?▼

No. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 does not define servant of Government, and the phrase does not occur in it.

Under Section 14 IPC, is a servant of Government the same as a public servant under the Code?▼

They are distinct statutory terms. Public servant was separately defined under Section 21 IPC, and substantive penal provisions exclusively use public servant.

Does Section 14 IPC define an offence or prescribe punishment?▼

Section 14 IPC defines no offence and prescribes no punishment. It was an interpretative definition within Chapter II of the Code.

Is Section 14 IPC bailable or cognizable?▼

Section 14 IPC has no entry in the First Schedule to the CrPC because it creates no offence.

Can proceedings be compounded under Section 14 IPC?▼

Compounding under Section 320 CrPC does not apply to Section 14 IPC because it creates no offence.

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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 ·