Legal terms in a charge can be interpreted using their common, everyday meaning if a party disputes them.

This section makes clear that such terms must be read according to the specific meaning assigned to them by the law defining the offence, not by ordinary usage.

Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023

Section 237

Words in charge taken in sense of law under which offence is punishable

In every charge words used in describing an offence shall be deemed to have been used in the sense attached to them respectively by the law under which such offence is punishable.§

Why this exists

Legal terms can carry special, technical meanings under specific statutes that differ from their everyday use. This section ensures there is no ambiguity — when a charge uses a legal term, it is automatically read according to the precise meaning assigned to it by the law creating that offence, avoiding disputes over ordinary versus legal definitions of the same word.

Common misconceptions

Myth: Legal terms in a charge can be interpreted using their common, everyday meaning if a party disputes them.
Fact: This section makes clear that such terms must be read according to the specific meaning assigned to them by the law defining the offence, not by ordinary usage.