Disturbing religious assembly
Section 300 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 deals with disturbing religious assembly. Whoever voluntarily causes disturbance to any assembly lawfully engaged in the performance of religious worship, or religious ceremonies, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both. The Act came into force on 01 Jul 2024.
Whoever voluntarily causes disturbance to any assembly lawfully engaged in the performance of religious worship, or religious ceremonies, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.
Section 300, The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (Act 45 of 2023).
Replaces a provision of the Indian Penal Code
IPC 296 Disturbing religious assembly Text carried over almost unchanged 100%
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 The repealed enactment still governs what happened while it was in force.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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disturbing religious assembly. | Imprisonment for 1 year, or fine, 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.
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Soraba Police vs Nagaraj M H
Decided under Indian Penal Code 296, which this section replaces. The court did not have this Act before it.
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
When the sole witness in a criminal case (the complainant himself) testifies in a manner contradictory to the prosecution's case and fails to identify the accused or support the charges, and when the prosecution fails to produce sufficient corroborating evidence, the accused is entitled to acquittal as the prosecution has not discharged its burden of proving the charges beyond reasonable doubt.
On this section: Offense of deliberate act intended to insult the religion or religious beliefs of any person. Court found insufficient evidence to prove this charge against the accused.
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 300
What have the courts held on Section 300 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita?
Soraba Police vs Nagaraj M H (14 Dec 2022) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below, though it was decided under IPC 296, which this section replaced -- the court never mentioned this Act: Offense of deliberate act intended to insult the religion or religious beliefs of any person. Court found insufficient evidence to prove this charge against the accused.
Is Section 300 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita bailable?
Bailable, under the First Schedule to the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.
Is Section 300 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 300 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 300, section 300 BNS, section 300 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. People searching for it also type bns 300a in hindi and bns 300-01zg. 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 Soraba Police vs Nagaraj M H (14 Dec 2022).
What should I read with Section 300 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and has it changed?
It carries forward IPC 296 (Disturbing religious assembly), so the judgments decided under that provision are the case law on this one.
When did Section 300 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita come into force?
Section 300 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, cited as BNS 300, 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
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- 101. Murder1177 words
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- 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 14 Oct 2026. This page is not a substitute for legal advice.