Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter XXXVI: Disposal of Property
Section 502: Power to restore possession of immovable property
In plain words
When someone is convicted of an offence involving criminal force, show of force or criminal intimidation that dispossessed a person of immovable property, the court can order possession restored to that person, evicting anyone else by force if needed. The order must be made within one month of the conviction, or by an appeal, confirmation or revision court.
- It can be appealed like an order under section 499, and does not affect rights anyone can prove in a civil suit.
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) When a person is convicted of an offence by use of criminal force or show of force or by criminal intimidation, and it appears to the Court that, by such use of force or show of force or intimidation, any person has been dispossessed of any immovable property, the Court may, if it thinks fit, order that possession of the same be restored to that person after evicting by force, if necessary, any other person who may be in possession of the property:
Provided that no such order shall be made by the Court more than one month after the date of the conviction.
(2) Where the Court trying the offence has not made an order under sub-section (1), the Court of appeal, confirmation or revision may, if it thinks fit, make such order while disposing of the appeal, reference or revision, as the case may be.
(3) Where an order has been made under sub-section (1), the provisions of section 500 shall apply in relation thereto as they apply in relation to an order under section 499.
(4) No order made under this section shall prejudice any right or interest to or in such immovable property which any person may be able to establish in a civil suit.
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 12 September 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 502
No Supreme Court judgment in our database cites this section yet.