CrPC Section 354 — Language and contents of judgment

Official Text

(1) Except as otherwise expressly provided by this Code, every judgment referred to in section 353,—

(a) shall be written in the language of the Court;

(b) shall contain the point or points for determination, the decision thereon and the reasons for the decision;

(c) shall specify the offence (if any) of which, and the section of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860) or other law under which, the accused is convicted, and the punishment to which he is sentenced;

(d) if it be a judgment of acquittal, shall state the offence of which the accused is acquitted and direct that he be set at liberty.

(2) When the conviction is under the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860) and it is doubtful under which of two sections, or under which of two parts of the same section, of that Code the offence falls, the Court shall distinctly express the same, and pass judgment in the alternative.

(3) When the conviction is for an offence punishable with death or, in the alternative, with imprisonment for life or imprisonment for a term of years, the judgment shall state the reasons for the sentence awarded, and, in the case of sentence of death, the special reasons for such sentence.

(4) When the conviction is for an offence punishable with imprisonment for a term of one year or more, but the Court imposes a sentence of imprisonment for a term of less than three months, it shall record its reasons for awarding such sentence, unless the sentence is one of imprisonment till the rising of the Court or unless the case was tried summarily under the provisions of this Code.

(5) When any person is sentenced to death, the sentence shall direct that he be hanged by the neck till he is dead.

(6) Every order under section 117 or sub-section (2) of section 138 and every final order made under section 125, section 145 or section 147 shall contain the point or points for determination, the decision thereon and the reasons for the decision.

Sections referred to

• CrPC §117 — Order to give security
• CrPC §125 — Order for maintenance of wives, children and parents
• CrPC §138 — Procedure where he appears to show cause
• CrPC §145 — Procedure where dispute concerning land or water is likely to cause breach of peace
• CrPC §147 — Dispute concerning right of use of land or water
• CrPC §353 — Judgment

Referred to by

• CrPC §164 — Recording of confessions and statements
• CrPC §197 — Prosecution of Judges and public servants

Related Judgments

• MANOJ PRATAP SINGH vs THE STATE OF RAJASTHAN — Supreme Court of India (2022)
• SUNDAR @ SUNDARRAJAN vs STATE BY INSPECTOR OF POLICE — Supreme Court of India (2023)
• BACHAN SINGH ETC. ETC. vs STATE OF PUNJAB ETC. ETC — Supreme Court of India (1980)
• Mohammed Faraz Farmood Ali Salmani. vs The Senior Inspector of Police and Another., .., –, Shri S.R.Garud i/b — Bombay High Court (Mumbai Principal Seat) (2017)
• KARAN vs STATE NCT OF DELHI — Delhi High Court (2020)

Old <-> New Code Mapping

• BNSS §393 — Language and contents of judgment