Rash navigation of vessel
Section 280 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 deals with rash navigation of vessel. Whoever navigates any vessel in a manner so rash or negligent as to endanger human life, or to be likely to cause hurt or injury to any other person, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rup 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 Repealed by section 358 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (45 of 2023) with effect from 1 July 2024, but conduct before that date is still charged, tried and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.
Whoever navigates any vessel in a manner so rash or negligent as to endanger human life, or to be likely to cause hurt or injury to any other person, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.
Section 280, The Indian Penal Code, 1860 (Act 45 of 1860).
Now in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita
BNS 282 Rash navigation of vessel Text carried over almost unchanged 98%
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 The repealed enactment still governs what happened while it was in force.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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Shantappa S/o Baburao Nimbago ANR vs The State of Karnataka
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
When a boat operator or vessel owner fails to maintain a vessel in a fit condition, overloads it beyond capacity, and negligently navigates it without taking proper precautions or responding to safety concerns raised by passengers, thereby causing deaths, such conduct constitutes the offense of rash navigation under Section 280 IPC and death by negligence under Section 304A IPC. The 'act of God' defense is not available when the negligence of the operators is the proximate cause of the deaths. The standard of care requires operators to visualize potential dangers arising from vessel unfitness and overloading and to take appropriate preventive measures.
On this section: Rash navigation of a vessel which endangers human life. Applied to establish that the boat was navigated in a negligent manner without verifying its fitness for operation, thereby endangering the lives of passengers.
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Shantappa S/o Baburao Nimbago ANR vs The State of Karnataka
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
Navigating a vessel with known physical defects (perforations) and overloading it beyond capacity, resulting in death, constitutes a rash and negligent act punishable under Sections 280 and 304A of the IPC.
On this section: Rash navigation of a vessel endangering human life.
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 280
What have the courts held on Section 280 of the Indian Penal Code?
Shantappa S/o Baburao Nimbago ANR vs The State of Karnataka (12 Dec 2013) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below: Rash navigation of a vessel which endangers human life. Applied to establish that the boat was navigated in a negligent manner without verifying its fitness for operation, thereby endangering the lives of passengers. Another 1 judgment on this section is set out below.
How do I find court cases under Section 280 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 280, section 280 IPC, section 280 of the Indian Penal Code. People searching for it also type ipc 280 in bns and 280 ipc punishment. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome. 2 reported judgments on this section are set out on this page, beginning with Shantappa S/o Baburao Nimbago ANR vs The State of Karnataka (12 Dec 2013).
What should I read with Section 280 of the Indian Penal Code, and has it changed?
For anything done on or after 1 July 2024 the provision to read is BNS 282 (Rash navigation of vessel), which replaced it; conduct before that date is still charged, tried and appealed under this section.
When did Section 280 of the Indian Penal Code come into force?
Section 280 of the Indian Penal Code, cited as IPC 280, came into force on 01 Jan 1862, having been enacted on 06 Oct 1860. It is no longer in force.
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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.