Local inspection
Section 310 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 deals with local inspection. Any Judge or Magistrate may, at any stage of any inquiry, trial or other proceeding, after due notice to the parties, visit and inspect any place in which an offence is alleged to have been committed, or any other place which it is in his opinion necessary to view for the purpose of properly appreci The Act came into force on 01 Apr 1974. Repealed by section 531 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (46 of 2023) with effect from 1 July 2024, but conduct before that date is still charged, tried and appealed under it.
(1) Any Judge or Magistrate may, at any stage of any inquiry, trial or other proceeding, after due notice to the parties, visit and inspect any place in which an offence is alleged to have been committed, or any other place which it is in his opinion necessary to view for the purpose of properly appreciating the evidence given at such inquiry or trial, and shall without unnecessary delay record a memorandum of any relevant facts observed at such inspection.
(2) Such memorandum shall form part of the record of the case and if the prosecutor, complainant or accused or any other party to the case,
1 Ins. by Act 45 of 1978, s. 24 (w.e.f. 18-12-1978).
so desires, a copy of the memorandum shall be furnished to him free of cost.
Section 310, The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (Act 2 of 1974).
Now in the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita
BNSS 347 Local inspection Text carried over almost unchanged 99%
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 The repealed enactment still governs what happened while it was in force.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.
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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Ramesh Gupta vs State of U.p.
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
Local inspection under Section 310 Cr.P.C. is permissible only when the court is satisfied that such inspection is necessary for properly appreciating evidence in inquiry or trial. At the pre-charge stage of criminal proceedings, when the applicant has not cooperated with the court and charges have not yet been framed, local inspection is not appropriate. The applicant has adequate alternative remedies through cross-examination of prosecution witnesses and presentation of defence evidence at the appropriate stage.
On this section: Local inspection - Court analyzed when local inspection becomes necessary for properly appreciating evidence in inquiry or trial
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.
Judgments citing this section
These may be obiter dicta or a precedent, for you to study. These are the judgments where this section is quoted.
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… local inspection, the learned Sessions Judge upon considering the entire material evidence on record, has recorded a finding that the Court does not see any ambiguity in the prosecution case so far as place of incident is concerned and therefore, the applications filed by the learned counsel for the accused under Section 310 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and under Section 311 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, are nothing but misconceived one and the applications are filed only with a malafide intention to drag on the proceedings. The learned Sessions Judge recorded a finding that the accused has not made out sufficient grounds to …
Questions about Section 310
What have the courts held on Section 310 of the Code of Criminal Procedure?
Ramesh Gupta vs State of U.p. (13 Aug 2021) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below: Local inspection - Court analyzed when local inspection becomes necessary for properly appreciating evidence in inquiry or trial.
How do I find court cases under Section 310 of the Code of Criminal Procedure?
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: CRPC 310, section 310 CRPC, section 310 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. People searching for it also type 310 crpc in bnss and 310 crpc judgement. 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 Ramesh Gupta vs State of U.p. (13 Aug 2021).
What should I read with Section 310 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, and has it changed?
For anything done on or after 1 July 2024 the provision to read is BNSS 347 (Local inspection), which replaced it; conduct before that date is still charged, tried and appealed under this section.
When did Section 310 of the Code of Criminal Procedure come into force?
Section 310 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, cited as CRPC 310, came into force on 01 Apr 1974, having been enacted on 25 Jan 1974. It is no longer in force.
Other sections of this Act
- 320. Compounding of offences1554 words
- 167. Procedure when investigation cannot be completed in twenty four hours1005 words
- 220. Trial for more than one offence962 words
- 360. Order to release on probation of good conduct or after admonition804 words
- 2. Definitions799 words
- 198. Prosecution for offences against marriage774 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. Recovered from the consolidated text published by India Code (item 330a1099-77ad-4a2e-b22a-769b33398f9e). This page is not a substitute for legal advice.