BNSS · Section 501 · Chapter XXXVI — DISPOSAL OF PROPERTY

Destruction of libellous and other matter.

What this section does

Upon conviction under specified sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 relating to obscene/libellous matter or adulterated food/drink/drugs, the Court may order destruction of all copies of the offending material or the adulterated substance in the custody of the Court or in the possession of the convicted person.

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

Procedure at a glance

Key actors: Court · Convicted person

Old-law correspondence

Derived from CrPC s.517.

Read the official text

For the binding statutory text of BNSS Section 501, refer to the Gazette of India or the India Code official website.

Why this matters

BNSS Section 501 forms part of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita which replaced the Code of Criminal Procedure 1973 on 1 July 2024. Any new filing, FIR, charge sheet, or bail application made on or after that date should cite the new section number. References to the old act in legacy documents remain valid for matters that arose before the changeover.