● Modified in BNS
Forging a court record, public register, or official certificate carries up to 7 years' imprisonment and fine under BNS Section 337, unchanged from IPC 466 -- but the BNS widens the offence to expressly cover electronic records and forged government-issued identity documents, including Aadhaar and voter ID cards.
Section 466 IPC punished forging a document purporting to be a court record or proceeding, a register of birth, baptism, marriage or burial, a register kept by a public servant, an official certificate, an authority to sue or defend, or a power of attorney, with imprisonment of either description up to 7 years, and fine.
BNS Section 337 reproduces the core offence but extends it to a forged document "or an electronic record," and adds coverage for a forged "identity document issued by Government including voter identity card or Aadhaar Card." A new Explanation clarifies that "register" includes electronic-form records under the IT Act, 2000.
Punishment unchanged. The scope is genuinely widened to cover electronic records and forged government identity documents (Aadhaar, voter ID) -- concepts that did not exist under the 1860 text.
Imprisonment of either description up to 7 years, and fine..
IPC 466 is non-bailable..
This is a non-cognizable. offence.
Non-compoundable..
Matters under IPC 466 are tried before the Magistrate of the First Class..
Common defences include the document not falling within any of the section's protected categories, absence of dishonest or fraudulent intent, and the accused not being the person who actually made the false document or record.
Summaries are for general information and are not legal advice. For the authoritative bare-act text, see the official Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and Indian Penal Code, 1860 (full amended text, as it stood before repeal) on India Code, or the Ministry of Home Affairs' new criminal laws page. ← All comparisons