Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter XIX: Of Criminal Intimidation, Insult, Annoyance, Defamation, Etc.
Section 355: Misconduct in public by a drunken person
In plain words
Appearing drunk in a public place, or a place you are trespassing in, and behaving so as to annoy anyone, is punishable with simple imprisonment up to twenty-four hours, or a fine up to one thousand rupees, or both, or community service.
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.
Official text
Whoever, in a state of intoxication, appears in any public place, or in any place which it is a trespass in him to enter, and there conducts himself in such a manner as to cause annoyance to any person, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to twenty-four hours, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both or with community service.
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.
Supreme Court judgments citing the section 355
No Supreme Court judgment in our database cites this section yet.