Section 479 IPC: Property mark

Indian Penal Code, 1860

Section 479 IPC at a Glance

Section 479 IPC deals with property mark. From 1 July 2024 it is replaced by Section 345(1) BNS.

Punishment

None. Section 479 IPC is a definition and prescribes no sentence. The offence of using a false property mark is punished under Section 482 IPC with imprisonment of either description for up to one year, or fine, or both.

BNS Equivalent

Section 345(1) →

Section 479 IPC Bare Act Text

479. Property mark

A mark used for denoting that movable property belongs to a particular person is called a property mark.

Source: Section 479, Indian Penal Code, 1860

Section 479 IPC in Simple Words

Section 479 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) defines a property mark as a mark used for denoting that movable property belongs to a particular person. The section is solely a definition provision and prescribes no offence or punishment of its own.

Section 481 IPC defines using a false property mark, and Section 482 to Section 489 IPC punish the offences involving property marks, including using a false property mark, counterfeiting a property mark, and tampering with a property mark. Because Section 479 IPC only defines the term, 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 479 IPC

  • There is a mark
  • The mark is used for denoting that movable property belongs to a particular person

Punishment Under Section 479 IPC

Imprisonment

None. Section 479 IPC is a definition and prescribes no sentence. The offence of using a false property mark is punished under Section 482 IPC with imprisonment of either description for up to one year, or fine, or both.

Fine

None. Section 479 IPC prescribes no fine. Fines for offences involving property marks are provided under Section 482 to Section 489 IPC.

Section 479 IPC defines a property mark and prescribes no punishment of its own.

Example of Section 479 IPC

In 2021, in Nashik, vineyard owner Tejas branded a distinctive triangle emblem onto the wooden grape crates that belonged to his estate before sending them to regional wholesale markets for transport and return. The wooden crates were movable property, and Tejas used the branded emblem specifically to denote that each crate belonged to him rather than to any other grower or trader at the market. Because the emblem was a mark used for denoting that movable property belonged to a particular person, Tejas, the branded emblem on the crates is a property mark within Section 479 IPC.

When Section 479 IPC Does Not Apply

  • A stone carving or boundary symbol is fixed to land or a building, because Section 479 IPC applies only to movable property and not to immovable property.
  • A decorative pattern or quality grade symbol is placed on movable goods without denoting that the property belongs to any particular person.
  • A mark is used solely to indicate the manufacturer or trade origin of commercial merchandise rather than denoting that the movable item itself belongs to a particular person.

Section 479 IPC in the BNS

Section 479 IPC is now covered under Section 345(1) BNS.

Section 479 IPC corresponds to Section 345(1) BNS, with identical wording. In the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Section 479 IPC, Section 481 IPC and Section 482 IPC are consolidated into three sub-sections of Section 345 BNS, covering the definition of a property mark, using a false property mark, and the punishment.

View detailed comparison (IPC 479 vs BNS 345(1)) →

FAQs on Section 479 IPC

What does Section 479 IPC define?▼

Section 479 IPC defines a property mark as a mark used for denoting that movable property belongs to a particular person.

Does Section 479 IPC create a punishable offence?▼

No. Section 479 IPC is only a definition provision and prescribes no sentence. Offences involving property marks are punished under Section 482 to Section 489 IPC.

Can a mark on immovable property be a property mark under Section 479 IPC?▼

No. The definition applies only to marks denoting that movable property belongs to a particular person, excluding land and buildings.

Under Section 479 IPC, what is the punishment for using a false property mark?▼

Section 482 IPC punishes using a false property mark with imprisonment of either description for up to one year, or fine, or both, unless the accused proves that he acted without intent to defraud.

Is Section 479 IPC bailable or cognizable?▼

Section 479 IPC has no entry in the First Schedule to the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 because it prescribes no punishment. Classification follows the relevant punishing section.

Can Section 479 IPC be compounded?▼

Section 479 IPC is not listed in Section 320 CrPC because it prescribes no punishment. Using a false property mark under Section 482 IPC is compoundable by the person to whom loss or injury is caused.

Where is Section 479 IPC placed in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita?▼

It is placed in Section 345(1) BNS, in Chapter XVIII, Of Offences Relating to Documents and to Property Marks.

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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 ·