Keeping lottery office

What this section does

Section 297 creates two distinct offences: (1) keeping an office or place for drawing an unauthorised lottery (i.e., not a State lottery or State-Government-authorised lottery); and (2) publishing any proposal to pay money, deliver goods, or do/forbear from doing anything contingent on the drawing of a ticket, lot, number, or figure in such an unauthorised lottery.

AI-generated plain-language summary. For the binding statutory text, see India Code (official).

Quick reference

Punishment

Sub-section (1): Imprisonment of either description up to 6 months, or fine, or both. Sub-section (2): Fine up to ₹5,000.

Triable by

Any Magistrate

Cognizable

No

Bailable

Yes

Compoundable

No

Ingredients (what prosecution must prove)

1. For sub-section (1): The accused kept an office or place for the purpose of drawing a lottery; the lottery was neither a State lottery nor authorised by the State Government
2. For sub-section (2): The accused published a proposal to pay, deliver goods, or act/forbear contingent on an event related to the drawing of a ticket, lot, number, or figure in such an unauthorised lottery

Derived from IPC s.294A.