Section 150 IPC: Hiring, or conniving at hiring, of persons to join unlawful assembly

Indian Penal Code, 1860

Section 150 IPC at a Glance

Section 150 IPC deals with hiring, or conniving at hiring, of persons to join unlawful assembly. It is cognizable, triable by The Court by which the offence is triable; from 1 July 2024 it is replaced by Section 189(6) BNS.

Punishment

The section fixes no term of its own. The accused is punishable as a member of the unlawful assembly, which under Section 143 IPC is imprisonment of either description for up to six months. He is also liable for any offence committed by the person hired, as a member of the assembly, in pursuance of the hiring.

Bail depends on the underlying offence ⓘCognizable ⓘNon-Compoundable ⓘ🏛️ The Court by which the offence is triable ⓘ

BNS Equivalent

Section 189(6) →

Section 150 IPC Bare Act Text

150. Hiring, or conniving at hiring, of persons to join unlawful assembly
Whoever hires or engages, or employs, or promotes, or connives at the hiring, engagement or employment of any person to join or become a member of any unlawful assembly, shall be punishable as a member of such unlawful assembly, and for any offence which may be committed by any such person as a member of such unlawful assembly in pursuance of such hiring, engagement or employment, in the same manner as if he had been a member of such unlawful assembly, or himself had committed such offence.

Source: Section 150, Indian Penal Code, 1860

Section 150 IPC in Simple Words

Section 150 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) punishes hiring, engaging or employing persons to join an unlawful assembly, and promoting or conniving at such hiring. A person who hires or engages, or employs, or promotes, or connives at the hiring, engagement or employment of any person to join or become a member of an unlawful assembly is punishable as a member of that assembly.

He is also punishable for any offence committed by the person hired, as a member of the assembly, in pursuance of the hiring, engagement or employment, in the same manner as if he had been a member of the assembly or had himself committed the offence. The section fixes no term of its own.

The offence is cognizable.

Ingredients of Section 150 IPC

The accused hired, engaged or employed a person, or promoted or connived at the hiring, engagement or employment of a person
The person was hired, engaged or employed to join or become a member of an unlawful assembly
The assembly was an unlawful assembly under Section 141 IPC
For liability for a further offence, that offence was committed by the person hired, as a member of the assembly, in pursuance of the hiring, engagement or employment

Punishment Under Section 150 IPC

Imprisonment

Fine

As a member of the assembly the accused may be punished with fine alone or with both imprisonment and fine. For a further offence the punishment is that of the offence, as if he had himself committed it.

Bail depends on the underlying offence ⓘCognizable ⓘNon-Compoundable ⓘ🏛️ The Court by which the offence is triable ⓘ

The First Schedule prints Cognizable for Section 150 IPC. For bail and for the trial court it prints Ditto, which repeats the words of the row above, Section 149 IPC, so both follow the offence.

Bailable: According as the offence is bailable or non-bailable

Punishable as a member of the unlawful assembly, which carries imprisonment of either description for up to six months, or fine, or both, and for any offence committed by the person hired as a member of the assembly in pursuance of the hiring.

Example of Section 150 IPC

In 2015 in Bhavnagar, Keshav hired and employed Dinesh, while Keshav's partner Mohan connived at the hiring, so that Dinesh would become a member of an assembly of six men whose common object was to forcibly seize a merchant's truck, forming an unlawful assembly under Section 141 IPC. Dinesh joined the unlawful assembly and, as a member acting in pursuance of his hiring, voluntarily caused hurt to the driver. Even though Keshav and Mohan stayed at home, both are punishable as members of the unlawful assembly and for the hurt as if they had committed it themselves under Section 150 IPC.

When Section 150 IPC Does Not Apply

Section 150 IPC does not apply when the group to be joined is not an unlawful assembly within the meaning of Section 141 IPC.
Section 150 IPC does not apply when the accused neither hired, engaged, or employed anyone nor promoted or connived at such hiring, engagement, or employment.
Section 150 IPC does not apply when a person was hired or employed for a lawful task rather than to join or become a member of an unlawful assembly.
Section 150 IPC does not make the hirer liable for a separate offence committed by the hired person outside the scope of the hiring or not as a member of the unlawful assembly.

Section 150 IPC in the BNS

Section 150 IPC is now covered under Section 189(6) BNS.

Section 150 IPC is now Section 189(6) BNS, with the same words. It is a sub-section of Section 189(6) BNS, which holds the unlawful assembly provisions, and it has no heading of its own. The punishment is unchanged.

View detailed comparison (IPC 150 vs BNS 189(6)) →

FAQs on Section 150 IPC

What does Section 150 IPC provide?▼

It makes a person who hires or engages, or employs, or promotes, or connives at the hiring, engagement or employment of any person to join or become a member of an unlawful assembly punishable as a member of that assembly.

What is the punishment under Section 150 IPC?▼

Section 150 IPC fixes no term of its own. The accused is punishable as a member of the unlawful assembly, and Section 143 IPC punishes a member with imprisonment of either description for up to six months, or fine, or both. The accused is also punishable for any offence committed by the person hired, as a member of the assembly, in pursuance of the hiring, engagement or employment, in the same manner as if he had been a member of the assembly or had himself committed that offence.

What conduct does Section 150 IPC cover?▼

Hiring, engaging or employing a person, promoting the hiring, engagement or employment, or conniving at it, where the person is to join or become a member of an unlawful assembly.

Under Section 150 IPC, what is an unlawful assembly?▼

Under Section 141 IPC, an assembly of five or more persons whose common object is one of those the section lists.

Is an offence under Section 150 IPC cognizable and bailable?▼

It is cognizable. For bail the First Schedule prints Ditto, which repeats the words for Section 149 IPC above it: according as the offence is bailable or non-bailable. The Schedule gives no single answer for the section as a whole. For comparison, it makes Section 143 IPC bailable.

Which court tries an offence under Section 150 IPC?▼

The First Schedule prints Ditto for the court as well, repeating the words for Section 149 IPC: the Court by which the offence is triable. Section 150 IPC names no court of its own.

Can an offence under Section 150 IPC be compounded?▼

No. It is not listed in Section 320 CrPC.

How does Section 150 IPC differ from Section 149 IPC?▼

Section 149 IPC makes each member of an unlawful assembly guilty of an offence committed in prosecution of its common object, or such as the members knew to be likely to be committed in prosecution of that object. Section 150 IPC reaches the person who hires, engages or employs another to join the assembly, or promotes or connives at it, and makes him punishable as a member and for the offences of the person hired.

Where is Section 150 IPC in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita?▼

In Section 189(6) BNS, a sub-section of Section 189 BNS, which uses the same words.

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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 ·