Section 320 - Compounding of offences
(1) The offences punishable under the sections of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860) specified in the first two columns of the Table next following may be compounded by the persons mentioned in the third column of that Table.
TABLE
1. Substituted by Act 45 of 1978, section 25, for "defamation" (w.e.f. 18-12-1978).
( 2) The offences punishable under the sections of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860) specified in the first two columns of the table next following may, with the permission of the Court before which any prosecution for such offence is pending, be compounded by the persons mentioned in the third column of that table:-
(3) When any offence is compoundable under this section, the abetment of such offence or an attempt to commit such offence (when such attempt is itself an offence) may be compounded in like manner.
( 4 ) (a) When the person who would otherwise be competent to compound an offence under this section is under the age of eighteen years or is an idiot or a lunatic, any person competent to contract on hi s behalf, may, with the permission of the Court compound such offence.
(b) When the person who would otherwise be competent to compound an offence under this section is dead, the legal representative, as defined in the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908) of such person may, with the consent of the Court compound such offence.
(5) When the accused has been committed for trial or when he has been convicted and an appeal is pending no composition for the offence shall be allowed without the leave of the Court to which he is committed, or, as the case may be, before which the appeal is to be heard.
( 6 ) A High Court or Court of Session acting in the exercise of its powers of revision under section 401 may allow any person to compound any offence which such person is competent to compound under this section.
(7) No offence shall be compounded if the accused is, by reason of a previous conviction, liable either to enhanced punishment or to a punishment of a different kind for such offence.
(8) The composition of an offence under this section shall have the effect of an acquittal of the accused with whom the offence has been compounded.
( 9 ) No offence shall be compounded except as provided by this section.
STATE AMENDMENT
1Madhya Pradesh:
In the table below sub-section (2) of Section 320 of the Principal Act,-
(i) in column first, second and third, before section 324 and entries relating thereto, the following sections and entries relating thereto shall be inserted, namely:-
(ii) in column first, second and third, after section 500 and entries relating there to, the following section and entries relating there to shall be inserted, namely:--
"(1)
Criminal intimidation if threat to be cause death or grievous hurt, etc.
(2)
Part II of section 506
(3)
The person against whom the offence of Criminal Intimidation was committed."
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1. Vide Madhya Pradesh Act 17 of 1999, section 3 (w.e.f. 21-5-1999).