Govt to decriminalise 'attempt to commit suicide', delete Sec 309 from penal code

The govt will remove the statute once it gets the backing of 22 states and union territories

Attempt to suicide will soon be not a punishable offence with the government deciding to delete Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code from the statute book to decriminalise it after getting the backing of 22 states and union territories, the Rajya Sabha was told today.

Minister of State for Home Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary said the Law Commission of India, in its 210th Report, had recommended that Sec 309 (attempt to commit suicide) of IPC needs to be effaced from the statute book.

Chaudhary said since law and order is a state subject, views of all states and union territories were sought on the recommendations of the Law Commission.

"Eighteen states and 4 union territory administrations have supported that Sec 309 of the IPC may be deleted. Keeping in view the responses from the States/UTs, it has been decided to delete Sec 309 of IPC from the Statute book," he said in reply to a written question.