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Section154
The Indian Penal Code, 1860

Owner or occupier of land on which an unlawful assembly is held

Repealed From 01 Jan 1862 Act 45 of 1860 As on 19 Oct 2026

Act 45 of 1860 Ministry Home Affairs Enacted 06 Oct 1860 In force 01 Jan 1862

This provision is repealed. Repealed by section 358 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (45 of 2023) with effect from 1 July 2024. It is reproduced because conduct before that date is still charged, tried and appealed under it.

Section 154 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 deals with owner or occupier of land on which an unlawful assembly is held. Whenever any unlawful assembly or riot takes place, the owner or occupier of the land upon which such unlawful assembly is held, or such riot is committed, and any person having or claiming an interest in such land, shall be punishable with fine not exceeding one thousand rupees, if he or his agent The Act came into force on 01 Jan 1862. Repealed by section 358 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (45 of 2023) with effect from 1 July 2024, but conduct before that date is still charged, tried and appealed under it.

Whenever any unlawful assembly or riot takes place, the owner or occupier of the land upon which such unlawful assembly is held, or such riot is committed, and any person having or claiming an interest in such land, shall be punishable with fine not exceeding one thousand rupees, if he or his agent or manager, knowing that such offence is being or has been committed, or having reason to believe it is likely to be committed, do not give the earliest notice thereof in his or their power to the principal officer at the nearest police-station, and do not, in the case of his or their having reason to believe that it was about to be committed, use all lawful means in his or their power to prevent it and, in the event of its taking place, do not use all lawful means in his or their power to disperse or suppress the riot or unlawful assembly.

Section 154, The Indian Penal Code, 1860 (Act 45 of 1860).

Now in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita

BNS 193 Liability of owner, occupier, etc., of land on which an unlawful assembly or riot takes place Close, with changes 81%

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 The repealed enactment still governs what happened while it was in force.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.

  1. Jeyaraman vs The Inspector of Police

    High Court 21 Jun 2023 Persuasive (Other HC)

    Court's Decision & Legal Precedent

    Peaceful agitation and raising voice against government policies or infrastructure projects is a fundamental democratic right of every person and cannot be criminalized under Sections 141, 143, 151, or 154 IPC unless the assembly has a common object to overawe public servants by criminal force, resist execution of law, commit mischief or criminal trespass, take possession of property by criminal force, or compel persons to do what they are not legally bound to do. A mere demonstration without permission, if peaceful in nature, does not constitute an unlawful assembly.

    On this section: Section 154 IPC relates to committing riot for benefit. The court held that this section is not attracted as there was no allegation of rioting for benefit.

    Read the full order on eCourts India

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 154

What have the courts held on Section 154 of the Indian Penal Code?

Jeyaraman vs The Inspector of Police (21 Jun 2023) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below: Section 154 IPC relates to committing riot for benefit. The court held that this section is not attracted as there was no allegation of rioting for benefit.

How do I find court cases under Section 154 of the Indian Penal Code?

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: IPC 154, section 154 IPC, section 154 of the Indian Penal Code. 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 Jeyaraman vs The Inspector of Police (21 Jun 2023).

What should I read with Section 154 of the Indian Penal Code, and has it changed?

For anything done on or after 1 July 2024 the provision to read is BNS 193 (Liability of owner, occupier, etc., of land on which an unlawful assembly or riot takes place), which replaced it; conduct before that date is still charged, tried and appealed under this section.

When did Section 154 of the Indian Penal Code come into force?

Section 154 of the Indian Penal Code, cited as IPC 154, came into force on 01 Jan 1862, having been enacted on 06 Oct 1860. 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. Recovered from the consolidated text published by India Code (item 7b7d4fe6-206b-4e33-81f1-b98b018acaf6). This page is not a substitute for legal advice.