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
IPC, 1860
Start Practicing
IPCChapter XSection 186
Section186

Obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions

AI Assist

Summary

Voluntarily obstructing a public servant while they perform official duties is an offence. Deliberately blocking, hindering or interfering with their work can lead to punishment of up to three months' imprisonment, or a fine up to five hundred rupees, or both. It applies whenever the obstruction is intentional and related to a public function.

Example

Priya stands in front of a municipal officer who is closing an illegal stall and refuses to move, shouting to stop him. Because she intentionally obstructed the officer in carrying out his duty, she can be punished with up to three months' imprisonment, or a fine up to 500 rupees, or both.

Bare Act

Enacted text

Whoever voluntarily obstructs any public servant in the discharge of his public functions, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with both.

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.

X

Chapter X

Of Contempts of the Lawful Authority of Public Servants

In this chapter

  • 172Absconding to avoid service of summons or other proceeding
  • 173Preventing service of summons or other proceeding, or preventing publication thereof
  • 174Non-attendance in obedience to an order from public servant
  • 175Omission to produce document to public servant by person legally bound to produce it
  • 176Omission to give notice or information to public servant by person legally bound to give it
  • 177Furnishing false information
  • 178Refusing oath or affirmation when duly required by public servant to make it
  • 179Refusing to answer public servant authorized to question
  • 180Refusing to sign statement
  • 181False statement on oath or affirmation to public servant or person authorized to administer an oath or affirmation
  • 182False information, with intent to cause public servant to use his lawful power to the injury of another person
  • 183Resistance to the taking of property by the lawful authority of a public servant
  • 184Obstructing sale of property offered for sale by authority of public servant
  • 185Illegal purchase or bid for property offered for sale by authority of public servant
  • 186Obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions
  • 187Omission to assist public servant when bound by law to give assistance
  • 188Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant
  • 189Threat of injury to public servant
  • 190Threat of injury to induce person to refrain from applying for protection to public servant
Previous · Section 185Illegal purchase or bid for property offered for sale by authority of public servantNext · Section 187Omission to assist public servant when bound by law to give assistance