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Section279
The Code of Criminal Procedure Act

Interpretation of evidence to accused or his pleader

Repealed Act 2 of 1974 As on 18 Oct 2026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

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 279 of the Code of Criminal Procedure Act deals with interpretation of evidence to accused or his pleader. Whenever any evidence is given in a language not understood by the accused, and he is present in Court in person, it shall be interpreted to him in open Court in a language understood by him.

(1) Whenever any evidence is given in a language not understood by the accused, and he is present in Court in person, it shall be interpreted to him in open Court in a language understood by him.

(2) If he appears by pleader and the evidence is given in a language other than the language of the Court, and not understood by the pleader, it shall be interpreted to such pleader in that language.

(3) When documents are put for the purpose of formal proof, it shall be in the discretion of the Court to interpret as much thereof as appears necessary.

Section 279, The Code of Criminal Procedure Act (Act 2 of 1974).

Questions about Section 279

What does Section 279 of the Code of Criminal Procedure Act deal with?

Section 279 of the Code of Criminal Procedure Act is headed "Interpretation of evidence to accused or his pleader". Whenever any evidence is given in a language not understood by the accused, and he is present in Court in person, it shall be interpreted to him in open Court in a language understood by him.

How do I find court cases under Section 279 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 279, section 279 Code Criminal Procedure Act, section 279 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.

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

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.