Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter XV: Of Offences Affecting the Public Health, Safety, Convenience, Decency and Morals
Section 290: Negligent conduct with respect to pulling down, repairing or constructing buildings, etc
In plain words
Knowingly or negligently failing to take enough precautions, while demolishing, repairing or constructing a building, against probable danger to life from it collapsing is punishable with up to six months in prison, or a fine up to five thousand rupees, or both.
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 pulling down, repairing or constructing any building, knowingly or negligently omits to take such measures with that building as is sufficient to guard against any probable danger to human life from the fall of that building, or of any part thereof, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees, or with both.
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.