Section 6 SC/ST Act: Application of certain provisions of the Indian Penal Code

Section 6 SC/ST Act extends listed provisions of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860) so that courts apply them for the purposes of the SC/ST Act. The listed provisions are section 34, Chapter III, Chapter IV, Chapter V, Chapter VA, section 149, and Chapter XXIII of the Indian Penal Code. In the Indian Penal Code, section 34 covers acts done by several persons in furtherance of a common intention, section 149 covers offences committed by members of an unlawful assembly in prosecution of a common object, Chapter III covers punishments, Chapter IV covers general exceptions, Chapter V covers abetment, Chapter VA covers criminal conspiracy, and Chapter XXIII covers attempts to commit offences. In the Indian Penal Code, section 34 covers acts done by several persons in furtherance of a common intention, section 149 covers offences committed by members of an unlawful assembly in prosecution of a common object, Chapter III covers punishments, Chapter IV covers general exceptions, Chapter V covers abetment, Chapter VA covers criminal conspiracy, and Chapter XXIII covers attempts to commit offences. In the Indian Penal Code, section 34 covers acts done by several persons in furtherance of a common intention, section 149 covers offences committed by members of an unlawful assembly in prosecution of a common object, Chapter III covers punishments, Chapter IV covers general exceptions, Chapter V covers abetment, Chapter VA covers criminal conspiracy, and Chapter XXIII covers attempts to commit offences. In the Indian Penal Code, section 34 covers acts done by several persons in furtherance of a common intention, section 149 covers offences committed by members of an unlawful assembly in prosecution of a common object, Chapter III covers punishments, Chapter IV covers general exceptions, Chapter V covers abetment, Chapter VA covers criminal conspiracy, and Chapter XXIII covers attempts to commit offences. In the Indian Penal Code, section 34 covers acts done by several persons in furtherance of a common intention, section 149 covers offences committed by members of an unlawful assembly in prosecution of a common object, Chapter III covers punishments, Chapter IV covers general exceptions, Chapter V covers abetment, Chapter VA covers criminal conspiracy, and Chapter XXIII covers attempts to commit offences. In the Indian Penal Code, section 34 covers acts done by several persons in furtherance of a common intention, section 149 covers offences committed by members of an unlawful assembly in prosecution of a common object, Chapter III covers punishments, Chapter IV covers general exceptions, Chapter V covers abetment, Chapter VA covers criminal conspiracy, and Chapter XXIII covers attempts to commit offences.

Under Section 6 SC/ST Act, those provisions apply for the purposes of the SC/ST Act in the same manner as they apply under the Indian Penal Code, 'so far as may be', meaning to the extent they fit proceedings under the SC/ST Act. Their application is expressly 'subject to the other provisions of this Act', so where another provision of the SC/ST Act (such as Section 8 SC/ST Act on presumptions) sets its own rule, the SC/ST Act rule prevails.

Section 6 SC/ST Act is an application rule and creates no standalone offence of its own. The Act still refers to the Indian Penal Code, 1860, which the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS) replaced from 1 July 2024.