Chapter XV of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 dealt with:

Chapter XV of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 dealt with offences relating to religion, in Sections 295 to 298.

Main sections in Chapter XV:

Section 295: Injuring or defiling a place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class.

Section 295A: Deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs. This was added in 1927.

Section 296: Disturbing a religious assembly lawfully engaged in worship.

Section 297: Trespassing on places of worship or burial grounds with intent to wound religious feelings.

Section 298: Uttering words or making gestures with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of any person.

Purpose of these provisions:

They aim to protect places of worship and religious sentiments and to maintain harmony among communities.

The Supreme Court upheld Section 295A in Ramji Lal Modi v. State of Uttar Pradesh (1957), holding that it applies only to aggravated forms of insult done with a deliberate and malicious intention.

Other chapters of the IPC:

• Chapter VI dealt with offences against the State, such as waging war against the Government of India.
• Chapter VIII dealt with offences against public tranquillity, such as unlawful assembly, rioting and promoting enmity between groups (Section 153A).
• Chapter IXA dealt with offences relating to elections, such as bribery and undue influence.

Replacement of the IPC:

• The Indian Penal Code was drafted by the First Law Commission under Lord Macaulay and came into force in 1862.
• It was replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which came into force on 1 July 2024.
• In the new code, offences relating to religion are covered in Sections 298 to 302.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Offences against the State were in Chapter VI.
• ✗Offences affecting public tranquillity were in Chapter VIII.
• ✗Offences relating to elections were in Chapter IXA.