The Navy Act, 1957 – All Sections - ConstitutionofIndia.in

An Act to consolidate and amend the law relating to the Government of the Indian Navy.

The Navy Act, 1957 has 193 sections in 22 chapters, amended 3 times. Each link below opens the official text of that section. Official PDF on India Code.

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Official copy of the Act from India Code (Legislative Department, Government of India).

All sections of the Navy Act, 1957

Chapter I: PRELIMINARY

Section 1 – Short title and commencement
Section 2 – Persons subject to naval law
Section 3 – Definitions
Section 4 – Fundamental rights to apply to persons subject to naval law with modifications

Chapter II: THE NAVAL FORCES

Section 5 – Power of Central Government to raise and maintain naval forces

Chapter III: SPECIAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO DISCIPLINE IN CERTAIN CASES

Section 6 – Provision respecting discipline of persons under engagement to serve Central Government
Section 7 – Relations between the members of the Navy, Army and Air Force acting together
Section 8 – Provision respecting discipline of master of merchant vessel under convoy

Chapter IV: COMMISSIONS, APPOINTMENTS AND ENROLMENTS

Section 9 – Eligibility for appointment or enrolment
Section 10 – Commissions and appointments
Section 11 – Enrolment
Section 12 – Validity of enrolment
Section 13 – Oath of allegiance

Chapter V: CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

Section 14 – Liability for service of officers and sailors
Section 15 – Tenure of service of officers and sailors
Section 16 – Discharge on expiry of engagement
Section 17 – Provisions as to discharge
Section 18 – Saving of powers of dismissal by naval tribunals
Section 19 – Restrictions respecting right to form associations, freedom of speech, etc

Chapter VI: SERVICE PRIVILEGES

Section 20 – Immunity from attachment
Section 21 – Immunity from arrest for debt
Section 22 – Immunity of persons attending court-martial or disciplinary court from arrest
Section 23 – Remedy of aggrieved persons
Section 24 – Priority of hearing of cases concerning persons in the naval service
Section 25 – Right of the Chief of the Naval Staff or commanding officers to obtain copies of judgments or orders made by a criminal court
Section 26 – Saving of rights and privileges under other laws

Chapter VII: PROVISIONS AS TO PAY, PENSION, ETC., AND MAINTENANCE OF FAMILIES

Section 27 – Deductions from pay, etc., not to be made unless authorized
Section 28 – Deductions from pay and allowances of officers
Section 29 – Deductions from pay and allowances of sailors
Section 30 – Deductions awarded by naval tribunals
Section 31 – Liability for maintenance of wife and children
Section 32 – Limit of certain deductions
Section 33 – Remission of deductions

Chapter VIII: ARTICLES OF WAR

Section 34 – Misconduct by officers or persons in command
Section 35 – Misconduct by persons other than those in command
Section 36 – Delaying or discouraging action or service commanded
Section 37 – Penalty for disobedience in action
Section 38 – Penalty for spying
Section 39 – Correspondence, etc., with the enemy
Section 40 – Improper communication with the enemy
Section 41 – Deserting post and neglect of duty
Section 42 – Mutiny defined
Section 43 – Punishment for mutiny
Section 44 – Persons on board ships or aircraft seducing naval personnel from allegiance
Section 45 – Striking superior officers
Section 46 – Ill-treating subordinates
Section 47 – Disobedience and insubordination
Section 48 – Quarrelling, fighting and disorderly behavior
Section 49 – Desertion
Section 50 – Inducing person to desert
Section 51 – Breaking out of ship and absence without leave
Section 52 – Drunkenness
Section 53 – Uncleanness or indecent acts
Section 54 – Cruelty and conduct unbecoming the character of an officer
Section 55 – Losing ship or aircraft
Section 55A – Dangerous unauthorised flying
Section 55B – Inaccurate certificate
Section 55C – Low flying and annoyance by flying
Section 55D – Disobedience of lawful command of captain of an aircraft
Section 56 – Offences by officers in charge of convoy
Section 57 – Taking unauthorised goods on board ship
Section 58 – Offences in respect of property
Section 59 – Arson
Section 60 – Falsifying official documents and false declarations
Section 61 – Malingering, etc
Section 62 – Penalty for endeavouring to stir up disturbance on account of unwholesomeness of victuals or other just grounds
Section 63 – Offences in respect of papers relating to prize
Section 64 – Offences in respect of price
Section 65 – Offences in respect of persons on board a prize ship
Section 66 – Unlawful taking of ransoming a prize
Section 67 – Breaking bulk on board a prize ship
Section 68 – Violation of the Act, regulations and orders
Section 69 – Offences in relation to Court-martial
Section 70 – Fraudulent entry
Section 71 – Escape from custody
Section 72 – Failure to assist in detention of offenders
Section 73 – Penalty for failure to attend by members of reserve forces when called up
Section 74 – Offences against good order and naval discipline
Section 75 – Attempts
Section 76 – Abetment of offences
Section 77 – Civil offences
Section 78 – Jurisdiction as to place and offences
Section 79 – Jurisdiction as to time
Section 80 – Trial after a person ceases to be subject to naval law

Chapter IX: PROVISIONS AS TO PUNISHMENTS

Section 81 – Punishments
Section 82 – Provisions as to award of punishment

Chapter X: ARREST

Section 83 – Power to issue warrants of arrest
Section 84 – Arrest without warrant
Section 85 – Procedure and conditions of naval custody
Section 86 – Investigation after arrest
Section 87 – Duty to receive or keep in custody
Section 88 – Procedure before trial
Section 89 – Provost-marshals

Chapter XI: CHARGE

Section 90 – Joinder of charges
Section 91 – Acts amounting to different offences
Section 92 – Joinder of accused person

Chapter XII: AUTHORITIES HAVING POWER TO AWARD PUNISHMENTS

Section 93 – Power of court-martial and commanding officers to try offences
Section 94 – Power of Central Government, Chief of the Naval Staff and other officers to impose forfeiture of time or seniority
Section 95 – Disciplinary Courts when may be constituted
Section 96 – Constitution and procedure of disciplinary courts
Section 97 – Constitution of courts-martial

Chapter XIII: CHAPTER XIII

Section 98 – Where courts-martial to be held (omitted/repealed)
Section 99 – Trial judge advocate
Section 100 – Courts-martial to be public
Section 101 – Commencement of proceedings
Section 102 – Objections to members
Section 103 – Further objections
Section 104 – Administering oath or affirmation
Section 105 – Arraignment
Section 106 – Opening of prosecution case
Section 107 – Calling of prosecution witness not in the original list
Section 108 – Swearing of interpreter and shorthand-writer
Section 109 – Objection to interpreter or shorthand-writer
Section 110 – Swearing of witnesses
Section 111 – Plea of no case and defence of accused
Section 112 – Adjournment to view
Section 113 – Summing up by the trial judge advocate
Section 114 – Duties of the trial judge advocate
Section 115 – Duties of the court
Section 116 – Retirement to consider finding
Section 117 – Announcement of the finding
Section 118 – Drawing up of the finding
Section 119 – Evidence of character and previous convictions
Section 120 – Consideration of the sentence
Section 121 – Announcement of the sentence
Section 122 – Adjournment
Section 123 – Provisions relating to dissolution of courts-martial
Section 124 – Ascertaining the opinion of the court
Section 125 – Finding that the offence was committed with intent involving less degree of punishment
Section 126 – Alternative findings
Section 127 – Finding lesser offence proved on charge of greater offence
Section 128 – Transmission of proceedings to the Judge Advocate General of the Navy
Section 129 – Right of accused to copy of proceedings and sentence
Section 130 – Application of the Evidence Act
Section 131 – Accused competent witness for defence
Section 132 – Judicial notice
Section 133 – Presumption as to certain documents
Section 134 – Summoning of witnesses
Section 135 – Commissions for examination of witnesses
Section 136 – Examination of witnesses on commission
Section 137 – Power to summon and examine material witnesses
Section 138 – Power of court to pay compensation out of fine
Section 139 – Summary punishment for contempt of court person subject to naval law
Section 140 – Summary punishment for contempt of court by person not subject to naval law
Section 141 – Powers of court-martial when certain offences are committed by persons not subject to naval law
Section 142 – Powers of courts martial and disciplinary courts in relation to proceedings under this Act
Section 143 – Accused found insane during trial
Section 144 – Lunacy of the accused at the time of offence
Section 145 – Disposal of property pending trial
Section 146 – Disposal of property regarding which offence is committed

Chapter XIV: EXECUTION OF SENTENCES

Section 147 – Form of sentence of death
Section 148 – Interim custody until execution of sentence of death
Section 149 – Execution of sentences of death
Section 150 – Place of imprisonment and detention
Section 151 – Commencement of sentence
Section 152 – Imprisonment of offender already under sentence
Section 153 – Change of place of confinement
Section 154 – Discharge or removal of prisoners
Section 155 – Time of detention in naval custody
Section 156 – Removal of insane prisoners
Section 157 – Naval prisons and naval detention quarters
Section 158 – Execution of sentence of fine
Section 159 – Power to make regulations in respect of naval prisons and detention quarters

Chapter XV: JUDICAIL REVIEW OF COURTS-MARTIAL PROCEEDINGS

Section 160 – Judicial review by the Judge Advocate General of the Navy
Section 161 – Consideration by the Chief of the Naval Staff

Chapter XVI: MODIFICATIONS OF FINDINGS AND SENTENCES, PARDONS AND COMMUTATION REMISSION AND SUSPENSION OF SENTENCES

Section 162 – Petitions to the Central Government or Chief of the Naval Staff against findings or sentences
Section 163 – Powers of Central Government and the Chief of the Naval Staff in respect of findings and sentences
Section 163A – Provision relating to parole
Section 164 – Suspension of sentences

Chapter XVII: OFFENCES IN RELATION TO COURTS-MARTIAL, DISCIPLINARY COURTS AND PRISONS

Section 165 – Offences by persons not subject to naval law in relation to courts-martial and disciplinary courts
Section 166 – Penalties for aiding escape or attempt to escape of prisoners and for breach of prison regulations
Section 167 – Penalty as regards gaolers, etc

Chapter XVIII: JUDGE ADVOCATE GENERAL OF THE NAVY AND OFFICERS OF HIS DEPARTMENT

Section 168 – Appointment of the Judge Advocate General of the Navy and his subordinate officers
Section 169 – Functions of the Judge Advocate General of the Navy
Section 170 – Discharge of functions of the Judge Advocate General of the Navy in his absence

Chapter XIX: DISPOSAL OF THE PRIVATE PROPERTY OF PERSONS DECEASED, MISSING, ETC.

Section 171 – Disposal of property of deceased sailors
Section 172 – Disposal of property of deceased officers
Section 173 – Decision of questions as to ship and service debts and other debts in ship or quarters
Section 174 – Nature of the powers of commanding officer or Committee of Adjustment
Section 175 – Powers of Central Government to hand over estate of deceased persons to the AdministratorGeneral
Section 176 – Disposal of surplus by prescribed persons
Section 177 – Disposal of effects not converted into money
Section 178 – Termination of liability of commanding officer, Committee, prescribed person and the Central Government
Section 179 – Saving of rights of representative
Section 180 – Application of sections 171 to 179 to persons of unsound mind
Section 181 – Appointment of Standing Committee of Adjustment in certain cases
Section 182 – Exercise of powers by other persons
Section 183 – Forfeiture of effects for absence without leave

Chapter XX: REGULATIONS

Section 184A – Power to make regulations with retrospective effect
Section 185 – Regulations to be laid before Parliament

Chapter XXI: REPEALS AND SAVINGS

Section 186 – Repeals (omitted/repealed)
Section 187 – Provisions as to existing naval forces, appointments, etc

Chapter XXII: TRANSITORY PROVISIONS

Section 188 – Power of officers of the Royal Navy