Section 50 IPC: “Section”

Indian Penal Code, 1860

Section 50 IPC at a Glance

Section 50 IPC defines the term “Section”. It has no direct equivalent in the BNS.

Punishment

None. Section 50 IPC creates no offence.

Section 50 IPC Bare Act Text

50. “Section”

The word “section” denotes one of those portions of a Chapter of this Code which are distinguished by prefixed numeral figures.

Source: Section 50, Indian Penal Code, 1860

Section 50 IPC in Simple Words

Section 50 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) defined the word section. A section denotes one of those portions of a Chapter of the Code which are distinguished by prefixed numeral figures. The section creates no offence and sets no punishment, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita has no equivalent.

Ingredients of Section 50 IPC

  • The word section
  • Denotes one of those portions of a Chapter of the Code
  • Which are distinguished by prefixed numeral figures

Punishment Under Section 50 IPC

Imprisonment

None. Section 50 IPC creates no offence.

Fine

None.

Section 50 IPC is a definition. It has no entry in the First Schedule to the CrPC.

Example of Section 50 IPC

In Cuttack in 2015, law clerk Pranav prepared a petition for his client Damodar and cited a portion of Chapter XVII of the Indian Penal Code that carried the prefixed numeral figures 378, along with an unnumbered illustration printed beneath it. Damodar asked whether both the numbered portion and the unnumbered illustration counted as sections when the Code used the word section. Because only the portion of the Chapter distinguished by the prefixed numeral figures 378 met the statutory test, that numbered portion alone was a section within Section 50 IPC.

When Section 50 IPC Does Not Apply

  • An illustration, explanation, or proviso that is not distinguished by its own prefixed numeral figures is not a section under Section 50 IPC.
  • An entire Chapter of the Indian Penal Code is not a section within Section 50 IPC because it is the whole Chapter rather than one numbered portion of it.
  • A preamble or chapter heading in the Code that carries no prefixed numeral figures is not a section under Section 50 IPC.
  • A numbered clause inside another statute outside the Indian Penal Code is not a portion of a Chapter of the Code within Section 50 IPC.

Section 50 IPC in the BNS

Repealed - No equivalent in BNS

Deleted. The BNS has no definition of the word section.

FAQs on Section 50 IPC

What does Section 50 IPC say?▼

That the word section denotes one of those portions of a Chapter of the Code which are distinguished by prefixed numeral figures.

Does Section 50 IPC create an offence?▼

No. It fixes the meaning of a word and sets no punishment.

Under Section 50 IPC, is a Chapter of the Code a section?▼

No. The definition speaks of the portions of a Chapter, so a section is one part of a Chapter and not the Chapter itself.

What is the BNS equivalent of Section 50 IPC?▼

There is none. The BNS drops the definition.

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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 ·