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Indian Penal Code, 1860 · Chapter XIV: Of Offences Affecting the Public Health, Safety, Convenience, Decency and Morals

Section 292: Sale, etc., of obscene books, etc

The Indian Penal Code, 1860 was repealed and replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 from 1 July 2024. It still applies to offences and proceedings from before that date.

Now in the BNS section 294 (Sale, etc., of obscene books, etc)

In plain words

Selling, hiring out, distributing, publicly exhibiting or circulating obscene books, pictures or other objects, making or possessing them for these purposes, importing or exporting them, profiting from such a business, or advertising it, is punishable on first conviction with imprisonment of either description for up to two years and a fine of up to two thousand rupees.

  • A second or later conviction is punishable with up to five years and a fine of up to five thousand rupees.
  • Material is obscene if it is lascivious, appeals to prurient interest, or tends as a whole to deprave and corrupt those likely to see or hear it.
  • This does not cover material justified as being for the public good in the interest of science, literature, art or learning, or kept bona fide for religious purposes.
  • It also does not cover sculptures or images on ancient monuments, temples, or idol cars.

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) For the purposes of sub-section (2), a book, pamphlet, paper, writing, drawing, painting, representation, figure or any other object, shall be deemed to be obscene if it is lascivious or appeals to the prurient interest or if its effect, or (where it comprises two or more distinct items) the effect of any one of its items, is, if taken as a whole, such as to tend to deprave and corrupt persons who are likely, having regard to all relevant circumstances, to read, see or hear the matter contained or embodied in it.] [(2)] Whoever—

(a) sells, lets to hire, distributes, publicly exhibits or in any manner puts into circulation, or for purposes of sale, hire, distribution, public exhibition or circulation, makes, produces or has in his possession any obscene book, pamphlet, paper, drawing, painting, representation or figure or any other obscene object whatsoever, or

(b) imports, exports or conveys any obscene object for any of the purposes aforesaid, or knowing or having reason to believe that such object will be sold, let to hire, distributed or publicly exhibited or in any manner put into circulation, or

(c) takes part in or receives profits from any business in the course of which he knows or has reason to believe that any such obscene objects are, for any of the purposes aforesaid, made, produced, purchased, kept, imported, exported, conveyed, publicly exhibited or in any manner put into circulation, or

(d) advertises or makes known by any means whatsoever that any person is engaged or is ready to engage in any act which is an offence under this section, or that any such obscene object can be procured from or through any person, or

(e) offers or attempts to do any act which is an offence under this section,

shall be punished [on first conviction with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, and with fine which may extend to two thousand rupees, and, in the event of a second or subsequent conviction, with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years, and also with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees]. [Exception.—This section does not extend to—

(a) any book, pamphlet, paper, writing, drawing, painting, representation or figure—

(i) the publication of which is proved to be justified as being for the public good on the ground that such book, pamphlet, paper, writing, drawing, painting, representation or figure is in the interest of science, literature, art or learning or other objects of general concern, or

(ii) which is kept or used bona fide for religious purposes;

(b) any representation sculptured, engraved, painted or otherwise represented on or in—

(i) any ancient monument within the meaning of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 (24 of 1958), or

(ii) any temple, or on any car used for the conveyance of idols, or kept or used for any religious purpose.]]

State amendments to this section

Orissa Amendment of section 292 (45 of 1860).—In section 292 of the Indian Penal Code (hereinafter Act referred to as the said Code), for the words “which may extend to three months” the words “which may extend to two years” shall be substituted and the following proviso shall be inserted before the Exception, namely:— “Provided that for a second or any subsequent offence under this section, he shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be less than six months and not more than two years and with fine.” [Vide Orissa Act 13 of 1962, s. 2] Insertion of new section 292-A in Act 45 of 1860.—After section 292 of the said Code, the following new section shall be inserted, namely:— “292-A.Printing, etc., of grossly indecent or scurrilous matter or matter intended for black mail.—Whoever—

(a) Prints or causes to be printed in any newspaper, periodical or circular or exhibits or causes to be exhibited to public view or distributes or causes to be distributed or in any manner puts into circulation any picture or any printed or written document which is grossly indecent, or is scurrilous or intended for blackmail; or

(b) Sells or lets for hire, or for purposes of sale or hire makes, produces or has in his possession, any picture or any printed or written document which is grossly indecent or is scurrilous or intended for blackmail; or

(c) conveys any picture or any printed or written document which is grossly indecent or is scurrilous or intended for blackmail knowing or having reason to believe that such picture or document will be printed, sold, let for hire, distributed or publicly exhibited or in any manner put into circulation; or

(d) takes part in or receives profits from, any business in the course of which he knows or has reason to believe that any business in the course of which he knows or has reason to believe that any such newspaper,

(e) advertises or makes known by any means whatsoever that any person is engaged or is ready to engage in any act which is an offence under this section, or that any such newspaper, periodical, circular, picture or other printed or written document which is grossly indecent or is scurrilous or intended for blackmail can be procured from or through any person; or

(f) offers or attempts to do any act which is an offence under this section, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both:

Provided that for a second or any subsequent offence under this section, he shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be less than six months and not more than two years and with fine.

Explanation I— For the purpose of this section, the word “scurrilous” shall be deemed to include any matter which is likely to be injurious to morality or is calculated to injure any person:

Provided that it is not scurrilous to express in good faith anything whatever respecting the conduct of— (I) a public servant in the discharge of his public functions or respecting his character, so far as his character appears in that conduct and no further ; or (II) any person touching any public question and respecting his character, so far as his character appears in that conduct and no further.

Explanation II— In deciding whether any person has committed an offence under this section, the Court shall have regard, inter alia, to the following considerations, namely:—

(a) the good character of the person charged, and where relevant, the nature of his business;

(b) the general character and dominant effect of the matter alleged to be grossly indecent or scurrilous or intended for blackmail;

(c) Any evidence offered or called by or on behalf of the accused person as to his intention in committing any of the acts specified in this section.” [Vide Orissa Act 13 of 1962, s. 3]

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 (Legislative Department), the text of the Act as it stood before its repeal. 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.

Supreme Court judgments citing the section 292