IPC Section 124: Assaulting President, Governor, etc., with intent to compel or restrain the exercise of any lawful power

Whoever, with the intention of inducing or compelling the ¹[President] of India, or ²[Governor ³***] of any ⁴[State], ⁵*** ⁶*** ⁷*** to exercise or refrain from exercising in any manner any of the lawful powers of such ⁸[President or ²[Governor ⁵***]],

assaults or wrongfully restrains, or attempts wrongfully to restrain, or overawes, by means of criminal force or the show of criminal force, or attempts so to overawe, such ¹[President or ²[Governor ⁵***]],

shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.

Explanation 1.—The expression “disaffection” includes disloyalty and all feelings of enmity.

Explanation 2.—Comments expressing disapprobation of the measures of the Government with a view to obtain their alteration by lawful means, without exciting or attempting to excite hatred, contempt or disaffection, do not constitute an offence under this section.

Explanation 3.—Comments expressing disapprobation of the administrative or other action of the Government without exciting or attempting to excite hatred, contempt or disaffection, do not constitute an offence under this section.]

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1. Subs. by the ibid., for “Governor General”.
2. Subs. by Act 3 of 1951, s. 3 and the Sch., for “Governor”.
3. The words “or Rajpramukh” omitted by the A. O. 1956.
4. Subs. by the A. O. 1950, for “Province” which had been subs. by the A. O. 1937, for “Presidency”.
5. The words “or a Lieutenant-Governor” omitted by the A. O. 1937.
6. The words “or a Member of the Council of the Governor General of India” omitted by the A.O. 1948.
7. The words “or of the Council of any Presidency” omitted by the A. O. 1937.
8. The words “Governor General, Governor, Lieutenant-Governor or Member of Council” have successively been amended by the A.O. 1937, the A. O. 1948 and the A. O. 1950 to read as above.