IPC Section 300 - Murder
Except in the cases hereinafter excepted, culpable homicide is murder if the act by which the death is caused is done with the intention of causing death, or if the act is done with the intention of causing such bodily injury as the offender knows to be likely to cause the death of the person to whom the harm is intended, or if it is done with the intention of causing bodily injury to any person and the bodily injury intended to be inflicted is sufficient in the ordinary course of nature to cause death, or if the person committing the act knows that it is so imminently dangerous that it must, in all probability, cause death or such bodily injury as is likely to cause death, and commits such act without any excuse for incurring the risk of causing death or such injury as aforesaid.
Official Text
“Except in the cases hereinafter excepted, culpable homicide is murder if the act by which the death is caused is done with the intention of causing death, or if the act is done with the intention of causing such bodily injury as the offender knows to be likely to cause the death of the person to whom the harm is intended, or if it is done with the intention of causing bodily injury to any person and the bodily injury intended to be inflicted is sufficient in the ordinary course of nature to cause death, or if the person committing the act knows that it is so imminently dangerous that it must, in all probability, cause death or such bodily injury as is likely to cause death, and commits such act without any excuse for incurring the risk of causing death or such injury as aforesaid.”
Legal Analysis
Elements to Prove:
- The act caused death.
- The act was done with intention of causing death, or
- The act was done with intention of causing bodily injury likely to cause death, or
- The act was done with intention of causing bodily injury sufficient to cause death in ordinary course of nature, or
- The act was done with knowledge of imminently dangerous nature.
Potential Defenses:
- The accused had no intention to cause death.
- The act was not likely to cause death.
- The accused was acting in self-defense.
- The accused was under grave and sudden provocation.
Practical Examples
What Constitutes the Offense:
A person shooting someone with intent to kill, or administering a lethal dose of poison knowing it will cause death.
What Doesn't Constitute:
A person causing death in self-defense, or acting under grave and sudden provocation.
Important Case Laws
K.M. Nanavati v. State of Maharashtra (1962)
The Supreme Court established the four conditions that must be met for culpable homicide to amount to murder, including the "knowledge" test.
Punishment
This is a definitional section. Punishment is provided in Section 302.
Related Information
Connected Sections:
This section defines murder. It is followed by Section 302 (Punishment for murder) and includes exceptions that reduce murder to culpable homicide.
Procedural Aspects:
Prosecution requires proof of intention or knowledge. The case is triable by a Court of Session.