Section 93 IPC: Communication made in good faith

Indian Penal Code, 1860

Section 93 IPC at a Glance

Section 93 IPC deals with communication made in good faith. From 1 July 2024 it is replaced by Section 31 BNS.

Punishment

None. Section 93 IPC creates no offence.

BNS Equivalent

Section 31 →

Section 93 IPC Bare Act Text

93. Communication made in good faith

No communication made in good faith is an offence by reason of any harm to the person to whom it is made, if it is made for the benefit of that person.

Illustration

A, a surgeon, in good faith, communicates to a patient his opinion that he cannot live. The patient dies in consequence of the shock. A has committed no offence, though he knew it to be likely that the communication might cause the patient's death.

Source: Section 93, Indian Penal Code, 1860

Section 93 IPC in Simple Words

Section 93 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) protects a communication made in good faith for the benefit of the person it is made to. No such communication is an offence by reason of any harm it causes to that person, even if the person doing it knew the harm was likely. Its illustration is a surgeon who tells a patient he cannot live.

Ingredients of Section 93 IPC

  • A communication is made to a person
  • It is made in good faith
  • It is made for the benefit of the person to whom it is made

Punishment Under Section 93 IPC

Imprisonment

None. Section 93 IPC creates no offence.

Fine

None.

Section 93 IPC is a General Exception. It has no entry in the First Schedule to the CrPC.

Example of Section 93 IPC

In 2018 in Pune, Kavita, a chartered accountant, discovered that a dishonest manager had drained most of her elderly client Subhash's retirement fund. Acting in good faith and for Subhash's benefit so that he could immediately freeze his bank accounts and save the remaining money, Kavita informed him of the fraud. On hearing the news, Subhash fainted from the sudden distress, fell from his chair, and fractured his shoulder. Although Kavita knew that breaking the news might gravely affect Subhash's fragile health, she made the communication in good faith for his benefit. Kavita committed no offence because of Section 93 IPC.

When Section 93 IPC Does Not Apply

  • The speaker makes the statement maliciously or without due care and attention, rather than in good faith.
  • The information is shared for the speaker's own advantage or to gossip, rather than for the benefit of the recipient.
  • The harm caused by the statement falls on a third party rather than on the person to whom the communication is made.
  • The injury is caused by a physical act rather than by a communication addressed to the person.

Section 93 IPC in the BNS

Section 93 IPC is now covered under Section 31 BNS.

Section 31 BNS keeps the exception and the illustration word for word. The only difference is that the BNS prints Illustration with a full stop on a line of its own.

View detailed comparison (IPC 93 vs BNS 31) →

FAQs on Section 93 IPC

What does Section 93 IPC say?▼

That no communication made in good faith is an offence by reason of any harm to the person to whom it is made, if it is made for the benefit of that person.

Under Section 93 IPC, does the doctor in the illustration commit an offence?▼

No. A surgeon who in good faith tells a patient he cannot live has committed no offence, though the shock may cause the patient's death and the surgeon knew it was likely.

Does Section 93 IPC need the other person's consent?▼

No. It asks only that the communication is made in good faith and for the benefit of the person it is made to.

Is Section 93 IPC an offence?▼

No. It creates no offence. It is a General Exception that protects a communication made in good faith.

What is the BNS equivalent of Section 93 IPC?▼

Section 31 BNS, which keeps the exception word for word.

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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 ·