● Retained in BNS
Words, gestures, sounds or exhibiting an object intended to insult a woman modesty, or intrude on her privacy, are punished under BNS Section 79, which retains the same offence and punishment as IPC Section 509.
Section 509 IPC punished any word, sound, gesture or exhibition of an object intended to insult the modesty of a woman, or intrusion upon her privacy, with simple imprisonment up to 3 years and fine.
BNS Section 79 retains the offence and punishment: simple imprisonment up to 3 years and fine.
Carried over substantially unchanged; renumbered from IPC 509 to BNS 79.
Simple imprisonment up to 3 years, and fine..
IPC 509 is bailable..
This is a cognizable. offence.
Non-compoundable..
Matters under IPC 509 are tried before the Any Magistrate..
Common defences include absence of intent to insult modesty or knowledge that the act was likely to do so, and disputing that the specific word, gesture or act actually occurred as alleged.
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