BNS Section 172 — Personation at elections

CHAPTER IX OF OFFENCES RELATING TO ELECTIONS

Criminal

Summary

Whoever, at an election, asks for a voting paper or votes using the name of another person, whether that person is alive or dead, or using a made-up name, commits the offence of personation at an election. The same offence is committed by anyone who, after already voting once at that election, asks for a voting paper again in their own name at the same election. It is also an offence to help, arrange, or try to arrange for any person to vote in any of these ways.

The protection in this section does not apply to a person who is allowed to vote as a proxy for an elector under any law currently in force, but only to the extent that the person actually votes as a proxy for that elector.

Official Text

Whoever at an election applies for a voting paper on votes in the name of any other person, whether living or dead, or in a fictitious name, or who having voted once at such election applies at the same election for a voting paper in his own name, and whoever abets, procures or attempts to procure the voting by any person in any such way, commits the offence of personation at an election:

Provided that nothing in this section shall apply to a person who has been authorised to vote as proxy for an elector under any law for the time being in force in so far as he votes as a proxy for such elector.

Related Judgments

  • SC (2025) Vol.3 p.1309 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
  • SC (2025) Vol.11 p.291 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
  • SC (2025) Vol.6 p.280 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
  • SC (2025) Vol.3 p.1531 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
  • SC (2024) Vol.8 p.670 — Supreme Court of India (2024)
  • SC (2024) Vol.6 p.129 — Supreme Court of India (2024)
  • SC (2025) Vol.2 p.80 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
  • SC (2025) Vol.4 p.2730 — Supreme Court of India (2025)

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