Section 116

Colonial-era Indian criminal law (originally Section 320 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, drafted under Macaulay) needed a clear line between minor injuries and serious ones, since punishment severity depends on how badly someone is hurt. By listing specific, objective categories — like broken bones, blindness, or life-threatening injury — the law tries to avoid vague or subjective judgments about how 'serious' an injury is, giving police, doctors, and courts a concrete checklist. Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 carries this provision forward almost verbatim as Section 116, continuing over a century of settled interpretation.

Courts under the old IPC Section 320 (the identical predecessor) held that this list is exhaustive — an injury not fitting one of these categories cannot be called 'grievous', however severe it looks. Judges have clarified that under clause (h), '20 days in severe bodily pain or unable to follow ordinary pursuits' must be proved with medical evidence, not just assumed from the injury's appearance. Courts have also held that a fracture, even a hairline one confirmed by X-ray, satisfies clause (g) regardless of how quickly the person recovers.

• Myth: Any painful or bloody injury counts as 'grievous hurt.'
  Fact: Only injuries matching one of the eight specific categories listed in Section 116 count as grievous hurt — the list is exhaustive, not just a guideline.
• Myth: A cut or bruise that takes a long time to heal is automatically grievous.
  Fact: It only counts under clause (h) if it endangers life, or causes severe pain or inability to work for at least 15 days, and this must usually be shown through medical evidence.