LawpatraLawpatra.ai

Lawpatra is an AI-powered legal education platform designed to help aspirants crack premier law entrance and judiciary examinations. With adaptive mock tests, precision analytics, and 24/7 personalized AI tutoring, we provide a comprehensive ecosystem for your entire legal career journey.

Test series on the goGoogle Play

Explore

  • Prepare for our exams
  • Bare Acts
  • Blog
  • Download resources

Company

  • About
  • Careers
  • Contact us

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Account deletion

Product

  • AI Tutor
  • Features
  • How it works

Law Entrances

  • CLAT
  • CLAT PG
  • AILET
  • SLAT
  • MH CET Law

Judiciary

  • MPSC Civil Judge
  • Chhattisgarh Judiciary
  • OPSC Civil Judge
  • Gujarat Judiciary
  • Delhi Judicial Services
  • UP PCS-J
  • Rajasthan Judiciary Service

APO/ADPO

  • Bihar APO
  • Delhi APP
  • Haryana ADA
  • Madhya Pradesh ADPO
  • Rajasthan APO
  • Uttar Pradesh APO
  • Uttarakhand APO

Bare Acts

  • BNS
  • BNSS
  • BSA
  • IPC
  • CrPC
  • IEA
  • HMA
  • IDA
  • MVA

© 2026 Blingwork Technologies Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved.

Offices: Hyderabad & Jodhpur

LawpatraLawpatra
CrPC, 1973
Start Practicing
CrPCChapter XXIVSection 318
Section318

Procedure where accused does not understand proceedings

AI Assist

Summary

If an accused person is sane but cannot be made to understand the inquiry or trial, the court can still go on with the proceedings. If a court below the High Court convicts in such a case, it must send the record and a report of the circumstances to the High Court. The High Court will then pass whatever order it thinks fit.

Example

Priya is accused of shop theft but, though mentally sound, does not understand the language used in court and cannot follow the proceedings. The magistrate may continue the trial. If Priya is convicted by the lower court, the case papers and a report about her inability to understand must be sent to the High Court, which will decide what to do next.

Bare Act

Enacted text

If the accused, though not of unsound mind, cannot be made to understand the proceedings, the Court may proceed with the inquiry or trial; and in the case of a Court other than a High Court if such proceedings result in a conviction, the proceedings shall be forwarded to the High Court with a report of the circumstances of the case, and the High Court shall pass thereon such order as it thinks fit.

Keep going
Newsletter

Join the top 1% of law aspirants

Get weekly high-yield legal updates, landmark judgment breakdowns, and smart prep strategies sent straight to your inbox.

We never share your email.

Previous year papers

Pick your exam. we'll email the most recent paper.

Download previous year papers

For

We'll never share your email. Promise.

XXIV

Chapter XXIV

General Provisions As To Inquiries And Trials

In this chapter

  • 300Person once convicted or acquitted not to be tried for same offence
  • 301Appearance by public prosecutors
  • 302Permission to conduct prosecution
  • 303Right of person against whom proceedings are instituted to be defended
  • 304Legal aid to accused at State expense in certain cases
  • 305Procedure when corporation or registered society is an accused
  • 306Tender of pardon to accomplish
  • 307Power to direct tender of pardon
  • 308Trial of person not complying with conditions of pardon
  • 309Power to postpone or adjourn proceedings
  • 310Local inspection
  • 311Power to summon material witness, or examine person present
  • 311APower of Magistrate to order person to give specimen signature or handwriting
  • 313Power to examine the accused
  • 314Oral arguments and memorandum of arguments
  • 315Accused person to be competent witness
  • 316No influence to be used to induce disclosure
  • 317Provision for inquiries and trial being held in the absence of accused in certain cases
  • 318Procedure where accused does not understand proceedings
  • 319Power to proceed against other persons appearing to be guilty of offence
  • 320Compounding of offences
  • 321Withdrawal from prosecution
  • 322Procedure in cases which Magistrate cannot dispose of
  • 323Procedure when, after commencement of inquiry or trial, Magistrate finds case should be committed
  • 324Trial of persons previously convicted of offences against coinage, stamp law or property
  • 325Procedure when Magistrate can not pass sentence sufficiently severe
  • 326Conviction or commitment on evidence partly recorded by one Magistrate and partly by another
  • 327Court to be open
Previous · Section 317Provision for inquiries and trial being held in the absence of accused in certain casesNext · Section 319Power to proceed against other persons appearing to be guilty of offence