CrPC Section 320
Section 320 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), India:
Section 320 — Compounding of offences
What it means:
Section 320 lists certain offences which can be "compounded" — meaning the complainant (victim) and the accused can agree to settle the matter out of court, and the prosecution can be dropped if the court allows.
Key points:
Only certain offences can be compounded. These are generally less serious offences listed explicitly in the section.
The parties involved (complainant and accused) must agree to the compounding.
The court’s permission is required to officially compound the offence and stop the case.
Compounding ends the prosecution — the accused will not be punished for that offence once compounded.
Offences that can be compounded under Section 320 include:
Hurt caused by consent (except grievous hurt)
Wrongful restraint
Criminal trespass
Defamation
Theft (in certain cases)
Voluntarily causing hurt
Others listed in the section
Importance:
Helps reduce the burden on courts by settling minor disputes.
Allows victims and accused to resolve matters amicably.
The State has a say through the court’s approval to ensure compounding is fair.
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