Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter VI: Of Offences Affecting the Human Body · Of hurt
Section 116: Grievous hurt
In plain words
Only these kinds of hurt are "grievous hurt".
- Emasculation.
- Permanent loss of sight in either eye, or hearing in either ear.
- Loss of any limb or joint, or permanent damage to its powers.
- Permanent disfigurement of the head or face.
- Fracture or dislocation of a bone or tooth.
- Any hurt that endangers life, or causes severe bodily pain or inability to follow ordinary pursuits for fifteen days.
A simplified explanation, prepared with AI assistance from the official text below and checked automatically against it for numbers and cross-references. The official text is the law and prevails over this summary. Not legal advice.
Read the in-depth explanation, with key Supreme Court rulings ↓
Official text
The following kinds of hurt only are designated as “grievous”, namely:—
(a) Emasculation;
(b) Permanent privation of the sight of either eye;
(c) Permanent privation of the hearing of either ear;
(d) Privation of any member or joint;
(e) Destruction or permanent impairing of the powers of any member or joint;
(f) Permanent disfiguration of the head or face;
(g) Fracture or dislocation of a bone or tooth;
(h) Any hurt which endangers life or which causes the sufferer to be during the space of fifteen days in severe bodily pain, or unable to follow his ordinary pursuits.
Corresponding sections were matched by comparing the wording of both official texts, and for the IPC and BNS, also against a published correspondence table. Wording, punishments and structure often changed, so read both sections before relying on the match.
Source: India Code (indiacode.gov.in), the consolidated text published by the Legislative Department, Government of India. Text as updated on India Code on 25 August 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.
Understanding this section
Section 116 carries forward the exhaustive list of grievous hurt from section 320 of the IPC, with one change: in clause (h), the period of severe pain or inability to follow ordinary pursuits is now fifteen days instead of twenty.
The eight kinds
- (a) Emasculation.
- (b) Permanent loss of sight of either eye.
- (c) Permanent loss of hearing of either ear.
- (d) Loss of any member or joint.
- (e) Destruction or permanent impairment of a member or joint.
- (f) Permanent disfigurement of the head or face.
- (g) Fracture or dislocation of a bone or tooth.
- (h) Hurt that endangers life, or causes severe pain or inability to follow ordinary pursuits for fifteen days.
Proof
Each kind must be proved, usually by medical evidence. Hospitalisation alone does not satisfy clause (h); the victim must have suffered severe pain or been unable to follow ordinary pursuits for the whole period.
Key Supreme Court rulings
Manik v. The State of Maharashtra 2024 INSC 734
Decided under section 320 of the IPC. Without evidence placing the injury within one of the eight kinds, grievous hurt is not proved.
Common mistakes
- Using the old twenty day period for BNS offences.
Read with: Section 114 BNS, Section 117 BNS, Section 320 IPC
Prepared with AI assistance as a study aid. Every ruling listed was checked against the Supreme Court's own judgments on this site, and quoted words appear in those judgments; linked names open the full judgment. Read the judgments themselves before relying on them. Not legal advice.
Supreme Court judgments citing the section 116
No Supreme Court judgment in our database cites this section yet.