PE Act 10Chapter III · Punishment for Offences
Section 10 · Punishment for offences under this Act
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(1) Any person or persons resorting to unfair
means and offences under this Act, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term not less than three
years but which may extend to five years and with fine up to ten lakh rupees. In case of default of
payment of fine, an additional punishment of imprisonment shall be imposed, as per the provisions of
the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (45 of 2023):
Provided that until the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (45 of 2023) is brought into force, the provisions of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860), shall be applicable in place of the said Act.
(2) The service provider shall also be liable to be punished with imposition of a fine upto one crore rupees and proportionate cost of examination shall also be recovered from such service provider and he shall also be barred from being assigned with any responsibility for the conduct of any public examination for a period of four years.
(3) Where it is established during the investigation that offence under this Act has been committed with the consent or connivance of any Director, Senior Management or the persons incharge of the service provider firm, he shall be liable for imprisonment for a term not less than three years but which may extend to ten years and with fine of one crore rupees. In case of default of payment of fine, an additional punishment of imprisonment shall be imposed as per the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (45 of 2023):
Provided that until the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (45 of 2023) is brought into force, the provisions of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860), shall be applicable in place of the said Act.
(4) Nothing contained in this section shall render any such person liable to any punishment under the Act, if he proves, that the offence was committed without his knowledge and that he exercised all due diligence to prevent the commission of such offence.
Provided that until the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (45 of 2023) is brought into force, the provisions of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860), shall be applicable in place of the said Act.
(2) The service provider shall also be liable to be punished with imposition of a fine upto one crore rupees and proportionate cost of examination shall also be recovered from such service provider and he shall also be barred from being assigned with any responsibility for the conduct of any public examination for a period of four years.
(3) Where it is established during the investigation that offence under this Act has been committed with the consent or connivance of any Director, Senior Management or the persons incharge of the service provider firm, he shall be liable for imprisonment for a term not less than three years but which may extend to ten years and with fine of one crore rupees. In case of default of payment of fine, an additional punishment of imprisonment shall be imposed as per the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (45 of 2023):
Provided that until the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (45 of 2023) is brought into force, the provisions of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860), shall be applicable in place of the said Act.
(4) Nothing contained in this section shall render any such person liable to any punishment under the Act, if he proves, that the offence was committed without his knowledge and that he exercised all due diligence to prevent the commission of such offence.
The offence at a glance
- Maximum punishment
- 10 years
- Statutory minimum
- 3 years
- Fine
- ₹1,00,00,000
- Cognizable
- Cognizable
- Bailable
- Non-bailable
- Compoundable
- Not compoundable
- Triable by
- Court of Session
- Cognizable — Police may arrest without a warrant
- Non-bailable — Bail is at the court's discretion
Sub-sections of this section carry different penalties; the maximum is shown.
Under this Act's own provision
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