Section 196

Repealed Act 2 of 1974 As on 16 Oct 2026

Read from the scanned gazette. India Code publishes no text for this Act, so the text below was read from the Government's own scan by machine and split into sections by its numbering. It has not been checked against the page word by word. Where it matters, read the scan. Read the scan.

Act 2 of 1974 Cited by 1 provision

This is a second copy of a Central Act. India Code files it on Delhi's shelf as well as under Parliament, and the text is the same enactment. Read it at The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, which is the record this site keeps current.

Read from the scanned gazette. India Code publishes no text for this Act, so this text was read from the Government's own scan by machine and split into sections by its numbering. It has not been checked against the page word by word. Where it matters, read the scan. Read the scan.

Section 196 of the Code of Criminal Procedure Act. No Court shall take cognizance of- (a) any offence punishable under Chapter VI or under section 153A,[section 295A or sub-section (1) of section 505] of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860), or (b) a criminal conspiracy to commit such offence, or (c) any such abetment, as is described in section 108A

(1) No Court shall take cognizance of- (a) any offence punishable under Chapter VI or under section 153A,2[section 295A or sub-section (1) of section 505] of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860), or (b) a criminal conspiracy to commit such offence, or (c) any such abetment, as is described in section 108A of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860), except with the previous sanction of the Central Government or of the State Government. 3[(1A) No Court shall take cognizance of- (a) any offence punishable under section 153B or sub-section (2) or sub-section (3) of section 505 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860), or (b) a criminal conspiracy to commit such offence, except with the previous sanction of the Central Government or of the State Government or of the District Magistrate.] (2) No Court shall take cognizance of the offence of any criminal conspiracy punishable under section 120B of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860), other than a criminal conspiracy to commit 4[an offence] punishable with death, imprisonment for life or rigorous imprisonment for a term of two years or upwards, unless the State Government or the District Magistrate has consented in writing to the initiation of the proceedings:
Provided that where the criminal conspiracy is one to which the provisions of section 195 apply, no such consent shall be necessary.
(3) The Central Government or the State Government may, before according sanction "[under sub-section (1) or sub-section (1A) and the District Magistrate may, before according sanction under sub-section (1A)] and the State Government or the District Magistrate may, before giving consent under sub-section (2), order a preliminary investigation by a police officer not being below the rank of Inspector, in which case such police officer shall have the powers referred to in sub-section (3) of section 155. 1. Ins. by Act 5 of 2009, s.17 (w.e.f. 31-12-2009). 2. Subs. by Act 63 of 1980, s. 3, for "section 153B, section 295A or section 505" (w.e.f. 23-9-1980). 3. Ins. by s. 3, ibid. (w.e.f. 23-9-1980). 4. Subs. by Act 45 of 1978, s. 16, for "a cognizable offence" (w.e.f. 18-12-1978). 5. Subs. by Act 63 of 1980, s. 3, for "under sub-section (1)" (w.e.f. 23-9-1980).
Section 196, The Code of Criminal Procedure Act (Act 2 of 1974).

Cross-references

Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.

This section refers to

Referred to by 1

s. 195

Questions about Section 196

How do I find court cases under Section 196 of the Code of Criminal Procedure Act?

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: Code Criminal Procedure Act 196, section 196 Code Criminal Procedure Act, section 196 of the Code of Criminal Procedure Act. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome.

What should I read with Section 196 of the Code of Criminal Procedure Act, and has it changed?

Its own text turns on section 2 (Definitions), section 155 (Information as to non-cognizable cases and investigation of such cases), section 195, Indian Penal Code 108A (Abetment in India of offences outside India), and on 2 further provisions, so none of them can safely be read on its own. 1 other provision in this corpus refers back to it.

When was the Code of Criminal Procedure Act enacted?

Code of Criminal Procedure Act was enacted in 1974 as Act 2 of 1974. India Code records no commencement date for it. It is no longer in force.

Other sections of this Act

484. Repeal and savings25553 words
320. Compounding of offences1305 words
164. Recording of confessions and statements1142 words
167. Procedure when investigation cannot be completed in twenty-four hours1114 words
437. When bail may be taken in case of non-bailable offence998 words
220. Trial for more than one offence960 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. Read from the Government's own scanned gazette with Azure Document Intelligence, then split into sections by their numbering. India Code publishes no text for this Act. The scan itself is mirrored into our own storage and served at /scan/aedad03b-d75d-4ad4-8833-2e467cc050cc.pdf, so the reading here can be checked against the page it came from without depending on India Code's own copy staying where it is (it was at https://indiacode.gov.in/server/api/core/bitstreams/aa576da2-2e5f-4165-923b-39fc1a0f416b/content). This page is not a substitute for legal advice.