Criminalises promoting (or attempting to promote) disharmony, enmity, hatred or ill-will between different religious, racial, language or regional groups, castes or communities — by words (spoken or written), signs, visible representation, or electronic communication — where it disturbs or is likely to disturb public tranquility.
A more serious punishment applies if the act happens in a place of worship or during religious worship/ceremonies.
- Explicitly extended to cover electronic communication, so online hate speech and provocation fall within its scope, not just physical speech or print.
- Punishable with imprisonment up to 3 years, a fine, or both; up to 5 years with a fine for the aggravated (place-of-worship) version.
Deliberately inciting communal or group hatred — including online — is a specific criminal offence, separate from and often charged alongside rioting or mob-lynching-related offences.
Keep exploring
Rioting
This is what an unlawful assembly (Section 189) escalates into the moment actual force or violence is used — worth knowing if you're near a protest or gathering that turns violent.
Mob Lynching
If a death results from a group attack targeting someone over their identity, this section — not just ordinary murder or rioting charges — is what should be invoked.
This is a plain-English summary, not verbatim statutory text. Adhikar is an independent citizen-awareness platform, not a Government of India website. Always verify against the bare Act (legislative.gov.in) or a qualified advocate before relying on this for an actual legal situation.