Chapter V - Offences and Penalties
Section 51
Section 51: provisions of Indian Penal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure not to apply.
This section says the Indian Penal Code provisions and Code of Criminal Procedure section 153 described in its text do not apply to weight-or-measure offences punishable under this Act. It still names those earlier codes.
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Need advice on Section 51?
This article is for general information. Refer to the Legal Metrology Act, 2009 official text for the official provisions. If you need professional advice for your situation, contact Bizeneed.
Statutory text
Bare law
The provisions of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860) and section 153 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974) in so far as such provisions relate to offences with regard to weight or measure, shall not apply to any offence which is punishable under this Act.
Introduction
The exclusion concerns provisions of the Indian Penal Code and section 153 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 insofar as they relate to weight-or-measure offences punishable under this Act.
Do not read this as excluding every criminal procedure or every offence arising during an inspection. Section 48, as substituted in 2026, expressly refers to the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita for trial and recovery.
Key takeaways
Trigger
The exclusion concerns provisions of the Indian Penal Code and section 153 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 insofar as they relate to weight-or-measure offences punishable under this Act.
Consequence or process
It prevents the specified overlap for those offences. The text was not amended by either Jan Vishwas Act and still names the earlier codes.
Important limit
Do not read this as excluding every criminal procedure or every offence arising during an inspection. Section 48, as substituted in 2026, expressly refers to the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita for trial and recovery.
Who and what the section covers
The exclusion concerns provisions of the Indian Penal Code and section 153 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 insofar as they relate to weight-or-measure offences punishable under this Act.
Consequence and statutory process
It prevents the specified overlap for those offences. The text was not amended by either Jan Vishwas Act and still names the earlier codes.
Practical steps
Read the exclusion only for its stated subject and scope.
Check the current procedural framework separately.
Preserve the exact statutory citation in submissions.
Hypothetical example
A reviewer checks the charged conduct and statute before relying on section 51 in a case involving measurement equipment. This is an illustration, not a statement of a decided case or an automatic exemption.
Cross references and limits
Do not read this as excluding every criminal procedure or every offence arising during an inspection. Section 48, as substituted in 2026, expressly refers to the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita for trial and recovery.
Official sources
Practical checklist
Do
- Read the exclusion only for its stated subject and scope.
- Check the current procedural framework separately.
- Preserve the exact statutory citation in submissions.
Avoid
- Do not infer that every offence or all criminal procedure is excluded; section 48(7)–(8) now refers to the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita.
- Do not extend section 51 beyond weight-or-measure offences punishable under this Act.
- Do not replace the earlier-code names in the enacted bare law by editorial inference.
Glossary
- Statutory exclusion
- The limited non-application of the named earlier-code provisions to weight-or-measure offences punishable under this Act.
- Prescribed
- Set by applicable rules made under the Act.
Frequently asked questions
What triggers section 51?
The exclusion concerns provisions of the Indian Penal Code and section 153 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 insofar as they relate to weight-or-measure offences punishable under this Act.
What is the statutory consequence or process?
It prevents the specified overlap for those offences. The text was not amended by either Jan Vishwas Act and still names the earlier codes.
What is the key limit to check?
Do not read this as excluding every criminal procedure or every offence arising during an inspection. Section 48, as substituted in 2026, expressly refers to the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita for trial and recovery.
Need help applying this provision to your situation?
Contact BizeneedLast updated 10 October 2026