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Section48
The Prisons Act, 1894

Award of punishments under sections 46 and 47

In force From 07 Jan 1894 Act 9 of 1894 As on 17 Oct 2026

Act 9 of 1894 Ministry Home Affairs Enacted 22 Mar 1894 In force 07 Jan 1894

Section 48 of the Prisons Act, 1894 deals with award of punishments under sections 46 and 47. The Superintendent shall have power to award any of the punishments enumerated in the two last foregoing sections, subject, in the case of separate confinement for a period exceeding one month, to the previous confirmation of the Inspector General. The Act came into force on 07 Jan 1894.

(1) The Superintendent shall have power to award any of the punishments enumerated in the two last foregoing sections, subject, in the case of separate confinement for a period exceeding one month, to the previous confirmation of the Inspector General.

(2) No officer subordinate to the Superintendent shall have power to award any punishment whatever.

STATE AMENDMENT

Orissa.--

Insertion of new section 48-A (Act 9 of 1894).--After section 48 of the said Act, the following new section shall be inserted, namely:--

48-A. Punishment for breach of conditions of suspension of sentence.--If any prisoner fails without sufficient cause to observe any of the conditions on which his sentence was suspended or remitted or furlough was granted to him, he shall be deemed to have committed a prison offence and the Superintendent may after obtaining his explanation, punish such offence by--

(1) a formal warning as provided in clause (1) of section 46; or

(2) Reduction in grade if such prisoner has been appointed as an officer of prison; or

(3) Loss of privileges admissible under the remission or furlough system; or

(4) Loss of such other privileges as the State Government may, by a general or special order direct.

[Vide the Orissa Act 29 of 1958. s. 5].

Maharashtra.--

After section 48 of the said Act, the following section shall be inserted, namely:--Insertion of section 48A in act IX of 1894.--

"48A. Punishment for breach of conditions of suspension of sentence, etc.--If any prisoner fails without sufficient cause to observe any of the conditions on which his sentence was suspended or remitted or furlough was granted to him, he shall be deemed to have committed a prison offence and the superintendent may, after obtaining his explanation, punish such offence by--

(1) a formal warning as provided in clause (1) of section 46;

(2) reduction in grade if such prisoner has been appointed or furlough system; or

(3) loss of privileges admissible under the remission or furlough system; or

(4) loss of such other privileges as the state Government may by a general or special order direct."

[Vide Bombay Act XXVII of 1953, s. 5]

Section 48, The Prisons Act, 1894 (Act 9 of 1894).

Cross-references

Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.

This section refers to

  1. s. 46 Punishment of such offences

Questions about Section 48

What does Section 48 of the Prisons Act deal with?

Section 48 of the Prisons Act is headed "Award of punishments under sections 46 and 47". The Superintendent shall have power to award any of the punishments enumerated in the two last foregoing sections, subject, in the case of separate confinement for a period exceeding one month, to the previous confirmation of the Inspector General.

How do I find court cases under Section 48 of the Prisons 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: Prisons Act 1894 48, section 48 Prisons Act 1894, section 48 of the Prisons Act. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome.

What should I read with Section 48 of the Prisons Act, and has it changed?

Its own text turns on section 46 (Punishment of such offences), so none of them can safely be read on its own.

When did Section 48 of the Prisons Act come into force?

Section 48 of the Prisons Act, cited as Prisons Act 1894 48, came into force on 07 Jan 1894, having been enacted on 22 Mar 1894. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.

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. Text as in force on 17 Oct 2026. This page is not a substitute for legal advice.