Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 · Chapter VII: Of the Burden of Proof
Section 115: Presumption as to certain offences
In plain words
In an area declared disturbed, or where there has been extensive disturbance of public peace for more than one month, if a person accused of waging war against India or related offences was at a place from which firearms or explosives were used to attack or resist the armed forces or public order forces on duty, the court must presume they committed the offence unless shown otherwise.
- The offences are those under sections 147 to 150 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and conspiracy, attempt or abetment of those under sections 149 and 150.
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
(1) Where a person is accused of having committed any offence specified in sub-section (2), in—
(a) any area declared to be a disturbed area under any enactment for the time being in force, making provision for the suppression of disorder and restoration and maintenance of public order; or
(b) any area in which there has been, over a period of more than one month, extensive disturbance of the public peace,
and it is shown that such person had been at a place in such area at a time when firearms or explosives were used at or from that place to attack or resist the members of any armed forces or the forces charged with the maintenance of public order acting in the discharge of their duties, it shall be presumed, unless the contrary is shown, that such person had committed such offence.
(2) The offences referred to in sub-section (1) are the following, namely:—
(a) an offence under section 147, section 148, section 149 or section 150 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023;
(b) criminal conspiracy or attempt to commit, or abetment of, an offence under section 149 or section 150 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
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 115
No Supreme Court judgment in our database cites this section yet.