Acquittal or conviction

Repealed Act 2 of 1974 As on 18 Oct 2026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 255 of the Code of Criminal Procedure Act deals with acquittal or conviction. If the Magistrate, upon taking the evidence referred to in section 254 and such further evidence, if any, as he may, of his own motion, cause to be produced, finds the accused not guilty, he shall record an order of acquittal.

(1) If the Magistrate, upon taking the evidence referred to in section 254 and such further evidence, if any, as he may, of his own motion, cause to be produced, finds the accused not guilty, he shall record an order of acquittal.
(2) Where the Magistrate does not proceed in accordance with the provisions of section 325 or section 360, he shall, if he finds the accused guilty, pass sentence upon him according to law.
(3) A Magistrate may, under section 252 or section 255, convict the accused of any offence triable under this Chapter, which from the facts admitted or proved he appears to have committed, whatever may be the nature of the complaint or summons, if the Magistrate is satisfied that the accused would not be prejudiced thereby.
Section 255, 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. 484 Repeal and savings

Questions about Section 255

What does Section 255 of the Code of Criminal Procedure Act deal with?

Section 255 of the Code of Criminal Procedure Act is headed "Acquittal or conviction". If the Magistrate, upon taking the evidence referred to in section 254 and such further evidence, if any, as he may, of his own motion, cause to be produced, finds the accused not guilty, he shall record an order of acquittal.

How do I find court cases under Section 255 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 255, section 255 Code Criminal Procedure Act, section 255 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 255 of the Code of Criminal Procedure Act, and has it changed?

Its own text turns on section 252 (Conviction on plea of guilty), section 254 (Procedure when not convicted), section 325 (Procedure when Magistrate cannot pass sentence sufficiently severe), section 360 (Order to release on probation of good conduct or after admonition), 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.