Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter V: Of Offences against Woman and Child · Of criminal force and assault against woman
Section 79: Word, gesture or act intended to insult modesty of a woman
In plain words
Saying words, making sounds or gestures, or showing objects meant to insult a woman's modesty, intending her to hear or see them, or intruding on her privacy, is punishable with simple imprisonment up to three years and a fine.
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, intending to insult the modesty of any woman, utters any words, makes any sound or gesture, or exhibits any object in any form, intending that such word or sound shall be heard, or that such gesture or object shall be seen, by such woman, or intrudes upon the privacy of such woman, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, and also with fine.
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 79
No Supreme Court judgment in our database cites this section yet.