Fouling water of public spring or reservoir
Section 279 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 deals with fouling water of public spring or reservoir. Whoever voluntarily corrupts or fouls the water of any public spring or reservoir, so as to render it less fit for the purpose for which it is ordinarily used, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to five t The Act came into force on 01 Jul 2024.
Whoever voluntarily corrupts or fouls the water of any public spring or reservoir, so as to render it less fit for the purpose for which it is ordinarily used, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees, or with both.
Section 279, The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (Act 45 of 2023).
Replaces a provision of the Indian Penal Code
IPC 277 Fouling water of public spring or reservoir Text carried over almost unchanged 96%
Measured by comparing the text of the two provisions, not taken from an official correspondence table — there is no machine-readable one. See both texts side by side before relying on it.
Both regimes are live. The repealed enactment still governs what happened while it was in force. We never redirect one to the other.
How this offence is classified
From the First Schedule to the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, which classifies every offence under the Sanhita. Cognizable means a police officer may arrest without warrant; bailable means bail is a matter of right rather than of the court's discretion.
| Offence | Punishment | Cognizable | Bailable | Triable by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fouling water of public spring or reservoir. | Imprisonment for 6 months, or fine of 5,000 rupees, or both. | Cognizable. | Bailable. | Any Magistrate. |
Related judgements & precedents
These are some judgments that construed this section, and hold precedence value. They hold authority on how to read, interpret and use this section.
-
Manjeet Dhaka vs State
Decided under Indian Penal Code 277, which this section replaces. The court did not have this Act before it.
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
An inordinate and unexplained delay in filing an FIR, coupled with a lack of corroborating evidence for negligence, justifies the quashing of charges to prevent the abuse of the legal process.
On this section: Fouling water of public spring or reservoir.
The holding above is the ratio decidendi as extracted from the judgment by eCourts India, reproduced unaltered — it is a rendering of the court's reasoning, not a substitute for its words. Read the order itself before relying on it.
Questions about Section 279
What have the courts held on Section 279 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita?
Manjeet Dhaka vs State (02 Aug 2022) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below, though it was decided under IPC 277, which this section replaced -- the court never mentioned this Act: Fouling water of public spring or reservoir.
Is Section 279 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita bailable?
Bailable, under the First Schedule to the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.
Is Section 279 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita cognizable?
Cognizable. "Cognizable" means a police officer may arrest without warrant; "non-cognizable" that they may not. An offence under this section is triable by Any Magistrate.
How do I find court cases under Section 279 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita?
In judgments and charge sheets this section is written several ways, and each form finds a different set of orders. These search the full text of every order eCourtsIndia holds, best matches first: BNS 279, section 279 BNS, section 279 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. People searching for it also type 279 bns punishment and 279 bns in ipc. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome. 1 reported judgment on this section is set out on this page, beginning with Manjeet Dhaka vs State (02 Aug 2022).
What should I read with Section 279 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and has it changed?
It carries forward IPC 277 (Fouling water of public spring or reservoir), so the judgments decided under that provision are the case law on this one.
When did Section 279 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita come into force?
Section 279 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, cited as BNS 279, came into force on 01 Jul 2024, having been enacted on 25 Dec 2023. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.
Other sections of this Act
- 2. Definitions2199 words
- 356. Defamation1543 words
- 335. Making a false document1318 words
- 101. Murder1177 words
- 303. Theft1104 words
- 3. General explanations858 words
Source and method. Compiled from the enactments of Parliament and of the State legislatures as published on India Code, and republished together with commentary and other original matter under section 52(1)(q)(ii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. Structured, cross-referenced and maintained by eCourtsIndia. Text as in force on 15 Oct 2026. This page is not a substitute for legal advice.