
Indian Penal Code, 1860
Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national-integration.—
Section
153B
Punishment
Imprisonment up to Three Year(s) + Fine
Cognizable
Cognizable
Bailable
Non-bailable
Compoundable
Non-Compoundable (Refer to CrPC 320 for exceptions)
Trial Court
Magistrate First Class
Bare Act Text
153B. Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national-integration.—
(1)Whoever, by words either spoken or written or by signs or by visible representations or otherwise,—(a)makes or publishes any imputation that any class of persons cannot, by reason of their being members of any religious, racial, language or regional group or caste or community, bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India as by law established or uphold the sovereignty and integrity of India, or(b)asserts, counsels, advises, propagates or publishes that any class of persons shall, by reason of their being members of any religious, racial, language or regional group or caste or community, be denied or deprived of their rights as citizens of India, or(c)makes or publishes any assertion, counsel, plea or appeal concerning the obligation of any class of persons, by reason of their being members of any religious, racial, language or regional group or caste or community, and such assertion, counsel, plea or appeal causes or is likely to cause disharmony or feelings of enmity or hatred or ill-will between such members and other persons,shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.(2)Whoever commits an offence specified in sub-section (1), in any place of worship or in any assembly engaged in the performance of religious worship or religious ceremonies, shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to five years and shall also be liable to fine.Ins. by Act 31 of 1972, s. 2
What is IPC Section 153B ?
According to the official bare act, this legal offense is defined as: 153B. Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national-integration.—
(1)Whoever, by words either spoken or written or by signs or by visible representations or otherwise,—(a)makes or publishes any imputation that any class of persons cannot, by reason of their being members of any religious, racial, language or regional group or caste or community, bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India as by law established or uphold the sovereignty and integrity of India, or(b)asserts, counsels, advises, propagates or publishes that any class of persons shall, by reason of their being members of any religious, racial, language or regional group or caste or community, be denied or deprived of their rights as citizens of India, or(c)makes or publishes any assertion, counsel, plea or appeal concerning the obligation of any class of persons, by reason of their being members of any religious, racial, language or regional group or caste or community, and such assertion, counsel, plea or appeal causes or is likely to cause disharmony or feelings of enmity or hatred or ill-will between such members and other persons,shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.(2)Whoever commits an offence specified in sub-section (1), in any place of worship or in any assembly engaged in the performance of religious worship or religious ceremonies, shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to five years and shall also be liable to fine.Ins. by Act 31 of 1972, s. 2
What is the punishment for Dhara 153B ?
The punishment for this specific offense is outlined under the law as: Imprisonment up to Three Year(s) + Fine
Is IPC 153B bailable or non-bailable?
Under the Indian Penal Code, this specific offense is classified as a Non-bailable offense.
Is Dhara 153B a cognizable offense?
The legal status regarding police arrest without a warrant is that this offense isCognizable.
Which court has the jurisdiction to try IPC 153B cases?
Cases pertaining to this specific IPC section are triable by the Magistrate First Class.
Can IPC Section 153B be compromised (Compoundable)?
The compoundable nature of this offense, meaning whether the parties can settle it out of court, is classified as: Non-Compoundable (Refer to CrPC 320 for exceptions).

Disclaimer:
This article is for general legal information only and is not a substitute for professional legal advice. Please consult a qualified advocate for your specific case.
Pramod Pal Founder and Editor-in-Chief
Pramod is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of StudyHub. He holds a Master's degree and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Geology, alongside more than 7+ years spent building and verifying competitive exam content for Indian aspirants. He leads StudyHub's editorial process across Indian Polity, the Constitution, Indian Economy, History, Geography, Science, and the platform's other subject areas — checking every article against primary sources (bare act text and Gazette notifications for constitutional topics, government and Economic Survey data for economy content, standard reference material elsewhere) and flagging it for re-verification whenever a relevant amendment, policy, or data update makes an earlier version outdated.






















