A.—Unlawful assemblies
BNSS Section 148: Dispersal of assembly by use of civil force
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter 11: MAINTENANCE OF PUBLIC ORDER AND TRANQUILLITY (A.—Unlawful assemblies, B.—Public nuisances, C.—Urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger, D.—Disputes as to immovable property)
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¶148. A.—Unlawful assemblies
(1) Any Executive Magistrate or officer in charge of a police station or, in the absence of such officer in charge, any police officer, not below the rank of a sub-inspector, may command any unlawful assembly, or any assembly of five or more persons likely to cause a disturbance of the public peace, to disperse; and it shall thereupon be the duty of the members of such assembly to disperse accordingly.
¶(2) If, upon being so commanded, any such assembly does not disperse, or if, without being so commanded, it conducts itself in such a manner as to show a determination not to disperse, any Executive Magistrate or police officer referred to in sub-section (1), may proceed to disperse such assembly by force, and may require the assistance of any person, not being an officer or member of the armed forces and acting as such, for the purpose of dispersing such assembly, and, if necessary, arresting and confining the persons who form part of it, in order to disperse such assembly or that they may be punished according to law.
Study: explanations and related material
Replaces CrPC 129. CrPC → BNSS converterSource: BPR&D BNSS–CrPC corresponding section table (UP Police, 2024-07-03)
Official reference: Ministry of Home Affairs: Gazette text, 25 December 2023 — source link checked: 2 October 2026.Recorded edition / snapshot date: 2024-07-01.Mobile-app reference import; the recorded snapshot date is not a fresh legal-currency guarantee. The linked government text is an independent authoritative reference, not certification that this website reproduces the same edition. The source link was checked, not every provision or subsequent amendment. Check commencement notifications, savings and jurisdiction-specific variations separately.
This text is for reference, not legal advice. Consult the official source for the authoritative text.
Other sections in this chapter
- 149. Use of armed forces to disperse assembly
- 150. Power of certain armed force officers to disperse assembly
- 151. Protection against prosecution for acts done under sections 148, 149 and 150
- 152. Conditional order for removal of nuisance
- 153. Service or notification of order
- 154. Person to whom order is addressed to obey or show cause
- 155. Penalty for failure to comply with section 154
- 156. Procedure where existence of public right is denied
- 157. Procedure where person against whom order is made under section 152 appears to show cause
- 158. Power of Magistrate to direct local investigation and examination of an expert
- 159. Power of Magistrate to furnish written instructions, etc
- 160. Procedure on order being made absolute and consequences of disobedience
- 161. Injunction pending inquiry
- 162. Magistrate may prohibit repetition or continuance of public nuisance
- 163. Power to issue order in urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger
- 164. Procedure where dispute concerning land or water is likely to cause breach of peace
- 165. Power to attach subject of dispute and to appoint receiver
- 166. Dispute concerning right of use of land or water
- 167. Local inquiry