Negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance
Section 286 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 deals with negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance. Whoever does, with any explosive substance, any act so rashly or negligently as to endanger human life, or to be likely to cause hurt or injury to any other person, or knowingly or negligently omits to take such order with any explosive substance in his possession as is sufficient to guard against a 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 Repealed by section 358 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (45 of 2023) with effect from 1 July 2024, but conduct before that date is still charged, tried and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 does, with any explosive substance, any act so rashly or
negligently as to endanger human life, or to be likely to cause hurt or injury to any other person,
or knowingly or negligently omits to take such order with any explosive substance in his possession as is sufficient to guard against any probable danger to human life from that substance,
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 286, The Indian Penal Code, 1860 (Act 45 of 1860).
Now in the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita
BNS 288 Negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance 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 The repealed enactment still governs what happened while it was in force.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.
Cross-references
Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.
Referred to by 1
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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Sri K C Veerendra vs The State of Karnataka
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
Bursting of crackers during an election campaign, simpliciter, does not constitute an offence under Section 286 of the IPC (Negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance) or Section 268 of the IPC (Public nuisance), nor does it violate Sections 123(2) and 130 of the Representation of People Act, 1951. Section 286 requires that the act be done rashly or negligently so as to endanger human life or likely to cause hurt or injury to any person. Mere bursting of crackers without such endangerment or injury is not an offence. Similarly, bursting of crackers during an election rally at wee hours is a common factor during elections and does not constitute public nuisance. Action for violation of Section 123 of the Representation of People Act is limited to the candidate and can result in disqualification or voiding of election result, not criminal prosecution of supporters. Therefore, criminal proceedings based on such allegations should be quashed under Section 482 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
On this section: Negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance - Court held that bursting of crackers simpliciter cannot amount to offence under this section; must be done rashly and negligently so as to endanger human life or cause hurt or injury
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 286
What have the courts held on Section 286 of the Indian Penal Code?
Sri K C Veerendra vs The State of Karnataka (07 Nov 2024) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below: Negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance - Court held that bursting of crackers simpliciter cannot amount to offence under this section; must be done rashly and negligently so as to endanger human life or cause hurt or injury.
How do I find court cases under Section 286 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 286, section 286 IPC, section 286 of the Indian Penal Code. People searching for it also type ipc 286 in bns and ipc 286 punishment. 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 Sri K C Veerendra vs The State of Karnataka (07 Nov 2024).
What should I read with Section 286 of the Indian Penal Code, and has it changed?
1 other provision in this corpus refers back to it. For anything done on or after 1 July 2024 the provision to read is BNS 288 (Negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance), which replaced it; conduct before that date is still charged, tried and appealed under this section.
When did Section 286 of the Indian Penal Code come into force?
Section 286 of the Indian Penal Code, cited as IPC 286, 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.