Amity Law School Noida

Amity Law School, Noida

B.A.LL.B. 3 Year 3 Sem
Law of Crimes- IPC
Ashwani Pant

1
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Topic of the session

JOINT & CONSTRUCTIVE

LIABILITY –II
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Common Object
S. 149 – Every member of Unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in
prosecution of common object. The Essentials are –

1. There was an unlawful assembly as contemplated by Sec. 141.

2. The accused was a member of such assembly.
3. The accused had intentionally joined or continued in that unlawful
assembly.
4. He knew of the common object of such unlawful assembly.
5. An offence was committed by one or more members of that assembly.
6. Such offence was committed in prosecution of the common object of that assembly.
7. As the members of the assembly knew that such offence was likely to be committed
in prosecution of their common object.
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Section 141 - Unlawful Assembly

An assembly of five or more persons is designated an “unlawful assembly”, if the common object of the
persons composing that assembly is—
• (First) — To overawe by criminal force, or show of criminal force, 1[the Central or any State
Government or Parliament or the Legis­lature of any State], or any public servant in the exercise of
the lawful power of such public servant; or
• (Second) — To resist the execution of any law, or of any legal process; or
• (Third) — To commit any mischief or criminal trespass, or other offence; or
• (Fourth) — By means of criminal force, or show of criminal force, to any person, to take or obtain
possession of any property, or to deprive any person of the enjoyment of a right of way, or of the use
of water or other incorporeal right of which he is in possession or enjoyment, or to enforce any right
or supposed right; or
• (Fifth) — By means of criminal force, or show of criminal force, to compel any person to do what he
is not legally bound to do, or to omit to do what he is legally entitled to do. Explanation.—An
assembly which was not unlawful when it assem­bled, may subsequently become an unlawful
assembly.
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Some Important Points

• An unlawful common object may develop at the spot;
• Each member is liable for the act as if he participated in committing it;
• In prosecution of common object not, during the prosecution of
common object;
• The members not actually committing the offence will be held liable
only when if he knew that such offence was likely to be committed;
• The expression “Know” does not mean a mere possibility, it imports a
higher degree of possibility;
• Once the common object ceases to exist, Sec 149 cannot be invoked;
• The court could charge, try and convict less than 5 person under Sec
149;
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Distinction
between
Common
Intention &
Common
Object
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Sec 142 – Being member of Unlawful Assembly;

Other Sec 143 – Punishment for membership;
Important Sec 144 – Joining Unlawful Assembly armed with
deadly weapon;
Sections Sec 146 – Rioting;
Sec 147 – Punishment for Rioting;
Sec 159 – Affray;
Sec 160 – Punishment for Affray;
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• Mohan Singh v. State of Punjab,

Important AIR 1963 SC 174;
Judgement • Ram Bilas Singh v. State of Bihar,
(1964) 1 SCR 775;
• Dharam Pal v. State of UP, AIR
1975 SC 1917;
• State of Rajasthan v. Nathu, (2003)
5 SCC 537
•