BNS Section 299 — Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs

Summary

Whoever acts with a deliberate and malicious intention to outrage the religious feelings of any class of citizens of India, and does so by insulting or attempting to insult the religion or religious beliefs of that class, will be punished. The insult can be made through spoken or written words, signs, visible representations, electronic means, or any other method. The punishment for this offence is imprisonment of either kind for a term that may extend to three years, or a fine, or both.

Official Text

Whoever, with deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings of any class of citizens of India, by words, either spoken or written, or by signs or by visible representations or through electronic means or otherwise, insults or attempts to insult the religion or the religious beliefs of that class, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.

Related Judgments

• SC (2025) Vol.3 p.1309 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
• S.C.R. 763 MAHENDRA SINGH DHONI v. YERRAGUNTLA SHYAMSUNDAR AND ANR — Supreme Court of India (2017)
• ... Petitioner vs 1.The Chief Secretary — Madras High Court (2017)
• PRIYA PRAKASH VARRIER AND OTHERS v. STATE OF TELANGANA AND ANOTHER — Supreme Court of India (2018)
• VINOD DUA v. UNION OF INDIA & ORS — Supreme Court of India (2021)
• ...Petitioner vs 1. The Principal Secretary to the Government, — Madras High Court (2019)
• S.C.R. 198 AMISH DEVGAN v. UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS — Supreme Court of India (2020)
• RAMJI LAL MODI v. THE STATE OF U.P — Supreme Court of India (1957)

Old <-> New Code Mapping

• IPC §295A — Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs