Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
Section 494
Bond required from child
When the person required by any Court, or officer to execute a bond is a child, such Court or officer may accept, in lieu thereof, a bond executed by a surety or sureties only.
Why this exists
Children generally cannot enter into binding legal contracts, and holding a minor personally liable for a bond's penalty would be both legally awkward and unfair. This provision lets a responsible adult surety stand in for the child, protecting the child while still giving the court the security it needs. It mirrors section 449 of the earlier CrPC.