Section 150 BNSS: Power of Certain Armed Force Officers to Disperse Assembly
Section 150 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 provides an emergency power to certain commissioned or gazetted officers of the armed forces to disperse an assembly when public security is manifestly endangered and communication with an Executive Magistrate is not possible.
Bare Act Text of Section 150 BNSS
Essential Conditions Under Section 150
- Public security must be manifestly endangered by the assembly.
- No Executive Magistrate must be capable of being communicated with at that time.
- The officer exercising the power must be a commissioned or gazetted officer of the armed forces.
- The officer must act with the armed forces under his command.
Power to Arrest and Confine
Section 150 authorises the concerned armed forces officer to arrest and confine persons forming part of the assembly where such action is necessary for dispersing the assembly or for proceeding against such persons according to law.
Duty to Communicate With Executive Magistrate
The emergency power under Section 150 is temporary in nature. Once communication with an Executive Magistrate becomes practicable, the officer must communicate with the Magistrate and thereafter follow the Magistrate's instructions regarding continuation of the action.
Related BNSS Provisions
Section 148 BNSS - Dispersal of assembly by use of civil force
Section 149 BNSS - Use of armed forces to disperse assembly
Section 150 BNSS - Power of certain armed force officers to disperse assembly