BNSS Section 148 — Dispersal of assembly by use of civil force

CHAPTER XI MAINTENANCE OF PUBLIC ORDER AND TRANQUILLITY — A.—Unlawful assemblies

Criminal

Summary

An Executive Magistrate, a police station in-charge, or a sub-inspector (if the in-charge is absent) can order any unlawful assembly, or any group of five or more people likely to disturb public peace, to break up and leave. Once that order is given, everyone in the assembly must disperse. If the assembly does not break up after being ordered to, or if it behaves in a way that shows it will not break up even without an order, the same officials can use force to break it up. They can also ask any person (who is not a member of the armed forces acting in that role) to help them disperse the assembly and, if needed, arrest and confine the people involved so the assembly is broken up or so they can be punished by law.

Official Text

(1) Any Executive Magistrate or officer in charge of a police station or, in the absence of such officer in charge, any police officer, not below the rank of a sub-inspector, may command any unlawful assembly, or any assembly of five or more persons likely to cause a disturbance of the public peace, to disperse; and it shall thereupon be the duty of the members of such assembly to disperse accordingly.

(2) If, upon being so commanded, any such assembly does not disperse, or if, without being so commanded, it conducts itself in such a manner as to show a determination not to disperse, any Executive Magistrate or police officer referred to in sub-section (1), may proceed to disperse such assembly by force, and may require the assistance of any person, not being an officer or member of the armed forces and acting as such, for the purpose of dispersing such assembly, and, if necessary, arresting and confining the persons who form part of it, in order to disperse such assembly or that they may be punished according to law.

Related Judgments

  • SC (2025) Vol.5 p.730 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
  • SC (2025) Vol.6 p.545 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
  • SC (2024) Vol.7 p.979 — Supreme Court of India (2024)
  • .. Petitioner/Accused No.12 vs The State of Tamilnadu, — Madras High Court ()
  • SC (2025) Vol.2 p.1588 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
  • SC (2025) Vol.11 p.291 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
  • SC (2025) Vol.1 p.1469 — Supreme Court of India (2025)
  • SC (2025) Vol.3 p.1309 — Supreme Court of India (2025)

Old <-> New Code Mapping

  • CrPC §129 — Dispersal of assembly by use of civil force