Legal World

Section 36 BNS — Right of private defence against act of a person of unsound mind, etc

Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 · Official PDF page 15

Open in NyayaOfficial PDF, page 15

36.When an act, which would otherwise be a certain offence, is not that offence, by reason of the youth, the want of maturity of understanding, the unsoundness of mind or the intoxication of the person doing that act, or by reason of any misconception on the part of that person, every person has the same right of private defence against that act which he would have if the act were that offence.

Illustrations.

(a) Z, a person of unsound mind, attempts to kill A; Z is guilty of no offence. But A has the same right of private defence which he would have if Z were sane.

(b) A enters by night a house which he is legally entitled to enter. Z, in good faith, taking A for a house-breaker, attacks A. Here Z, by attacking A under this misconception, commits no offence. But A has the same right of private defence against Z, which he would have if Z were not acting under that misconception.

Text extracted from the official PDF (Ministry-published 2024 source copy). Line breaks and footnote marks may differ; the PDF is the authority.

For research. Check the official gazette and later amendments before citing a section.