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

Section 293: Sale, etc., of obscene objects to young person

The Indian Penal Code, 1860 was repealed and replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 from 1 July 2024.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 295 (Sale, etc., of obscene objects to child)

In plain words

Selling, hiring out, distributing, exhibiting or circulating such obscene objects to anyone under twenty years of age, or offering or attempting to, is punishable on first conviction with imprisonment of either description for up to three years and a fine of up to two thousand rupees, and on later convictions with up to seven years and a fine of up to five thousand rupees.

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 sells, lets to hire, distributes, exhibits or circulates to any person under the age of twenty years any such obscene object as is referred to in the last preceding section, or offers or attempts so to do, shall be punished [on first conviction with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three 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 seven years, and also with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees].]

State amendments to this section

Orissa Amendment of section 293.—In section 293 of the said Code—

(i) for the words “ any such obscene object as is referred to in the last preceding section”, the words, figures and letter “ any such obscene object as is referred to in section 292 or any such newspaper, periodical, circular, picture or other printed or written document as is referred to in section 292-A” shall be substituted;

(ii) for the words “ which may extend to six months”, the words “ which may extend to three years” shall be substituted;

(iii) in the marginal note, after the words “ obscene objects” the words “ and grossly indecent or scurrilous matter or matter intended for blackmail”, shall be inserted. [Vide Orissa Act 13 of 1962, s. 4]

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 293