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In force

The Coast Guard Act, 1978

122 sections · As amended up to 2026-08

Sections

  1. I — PRELIMINARY
  2. 1Short title and commencement
  3. 2Definitions
  4. 3Persons subject to this Act
  5. II — CONSTITUTION OF THE COAST GUARD AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COAST GUARD
  6. 4Constitution of the Coast Guard
  7. 5Control, direction, etc
  8. 6Enrolment
  9. 7Liability for service outside India
  10. 8Oath of allegiance
  11. 9Resignation and withdrawal from the post
  12. 10Tenure of service under the Act
  13. 11Dismissal or removal by Central Government and by other officers
  14. 12Certificate of termination of service
  15. 13Restrictions respecting right to form association, freedom of speech, etc
  16. III — DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS OF THE COAST GUARD
  17. 14Duties and functions of Coast Guard
  18. IV — OFFENCES
  19. 16Deserting post and neglect of duty
  20. 17Mutiny
  21. 18Persons on board ship or aircraft seducing Coast Guard personnel from allegiance
  22. 19Striking or threatening superior officers
  23. 20Disobedience to superior officer
  24. 21Ill-treating subordinates
  25. 22Quarrelling, fighting and disorderly behaviour
  26. 23Certain forms of disgraceful conduct
  27. 24Drunkenness
  28. 25Desertion and aiding desertion
  29. 26Breaking out of ship and absence without leave
  30. 27Losing ship or aircraft
  31. 28Dangerous unauthorised flying
  32. 29Inaccurate certificate
  33. 30Low flying and annoyance by flying
  34. 31Disobedience of lawful command of captain of an aircraft
  35. 32False accusations
  36. 33Falsifying official documents and false declarations
  37. 34Offences in respect of property
  38. 35Damage to property
  39. 36Taking unauthorised goods on board
  40. 37Offences in respect of papers relating to vessel, craft or aircraft taken into custody
  41. 38Offences in respect of vessel, craft or aircraft taken into custody
  42. 39Unlawful taking of ransom
  43. 40Offences relating to Coast Guard Courts
  44. 41Escape from custody
  45. 42Violation of the Act, rules and orders
  46. 43False answers on enrolment
  47. 44Offences against good order and discipline
  48. 45Attempt
  49. 46Abetment of offences that have been committed
  50. 47Abetment of offence punishable with death and not committed
  51. 48Abetment of offences punishable with imprisonment and not committed
  52. 49Civil offences
  53. 50Civil offences not triable by a Coast Guard Court
  54. 51Period of limitation for trial of offences under the Act
  55. 52Trial, etc., of a person who ceases to be subject to the Act
  56. V — PUNISHMENTS
  57. 53Punishments awardable by Coast Guard Courts
  58. 54Alternative punishments awardable by Coast Guard Courts
  59. 55Combination of punishments
  60. 56Punishments otherwise than by Coast Guard Courts
  61. 57Minor punishments
  62. 57APunishment for officers below the rank of Commandant
  63. 58Provisions as to award of punishments
  64. VI — ARREST AND PROCEEDINGS BEFORE TRIAL
  65. 59Custody of offenders
  66. 60Duty of Commanding Officer in regard to detention
  67. 61Arrest by civil authorities
  68. 62Capture of deserters
  69. 63Coast Guard police officers
  70. VII — COAST GUARD COURTS
  71. 64Power to convene a Coast Guard Court
  72. 65Composition of Coast Guard Courts
  73. 66Dissolution of a Coast Guard Court
  74. 67Powers of a Coast Guard Court
  75. 68Prohibition of second trial
  76. 69Application of Act during term of sentence
  77. 71Choice between criminal court and Coast Guard Court
  78. 72Power of criminal court to require delivery of an offender
  79. VIII — PROCEDURE OF COAST GUARD COURTS
  80. 73Law Officer
  81. 74Challenges
  82. 75Oaths of member, Law Officer and witness
  83. 76Voting by members
  84. 77General rule as to evidence
  85. 78Judicial notice
  86. 79Summoning of witnesses
  87. 80Documents exempted from production
  88. 81Commissions for examination of witnesses
  89. 82Examination of a witness on commission
  90. 83Alternative findings
  91. 84Presumption as to signatures
  92. 85Enrolment paper
  93. 86Presumption as to certain documents
  94. 87Evidence of previous convictions and general character
  95. 88Lunacy of accused
  96. 89Subsequent fitness of lunatic accused for trial
  97. 90Transmission to Central Government of orders under section 89
  98. 91Release of lunatic accused
  99. 92Delivery of lunatic accused to relatives
  100. 93Order for custody and disposal of property pending trial
  101. 94Order for disposal of property regarding which offence is committed
  102. 95Powers of Coast Guard Court in relation to proceedings under this Act
  103. IX — EXECUTION AND SUSPENSION OF SENTENCES
  104. 96Form of sentence of death
  105. 97Interim custody until execution of sentence of death
  106. 98Execution of sentence of death
  107. 99Commencement of sentence of imprisonment or detention
  108. 100Execution of sentence of imprisonment
  109. 101Temporary custody of offender
  110. 102Conveyance of prisoner from place to place
  111. 103Communication of certain orders to prison officers
  112. 104Execution of sentence of fine
  113. 105Informality or error in the order or warrant
  114. 106Imprisonment or detention of offender already under sentence
  115. 107Suspension of sentence of imprisonment or detention
  116. 108Release on suspension
  117. 109Computation of period of suspension
  118. 110Order after suspension
  119. 111Reconsideration of case after suspension
  120. 112Fresh sentence after suspension
  121. 113Scope of power of suspension
  122. 114Effect of suspension and remission on dismissal
  123. X — CHIEF LAW OFFICER AND LAW OFFICERS
  124. 115Appointment of Chief Law Officer and Law Officers
  125. 116Functions of Chief Law Officer
  126. XI — JUDICIAL REVIEW OF PROCEEDINGS OF COAST GUARD COURTS
  127. 117Judicial review by the Chief Law Officer
  128. 118Consideration by the Director-General
  129. XII — MODIFICATION OF FINDINGS AND SENTENCES, PARDONS, COMMUTATION AND REMISSION OF SENTENCES
  130. 119Petitions to Central Government or Director-General against findings and sentences
  131. 120Powers of Central Government and Director-General in respect of findings and sentences
  132. XIII — MISCELLANEOUS
  133. 121Powers and duties conferrable and imposable on members of the Coast Guard
  134. 122Protection for acts of members of the Coast Guard
  135. 123Power to make rules