Code of Criminal Procedure Act, 1973
31.Sentence in cases of conviction of several offences at one trial.-
(1) When a person is convicted at one trial of
two or more offences, the Court may, subject to the provisions of section 71 of
the Indian Penal Code,(45 of 1860) sentence him for such offences, to the
several punishments prescribed therefor which such Court is competent to
inflict; such punishments when consisting of imprisonment to commence the one
after the expiration of the other in such order as the Court may direct, unless
the Court directs that such punishments shall run concurrently.
(2) In the case of consecutive sentences, it shall not be necessary for the
Court by reason only of the aggregate punishment for the several offences being
in excess of the punishment which it is competent to inflict on conviction of a
single offence, to send the offender for trial before a higher Court:
Provided that-
(a) in no case shall such person be sentenced
to imprisonment for a longer period than fourteen years;
(b) the aggregate punishment shall not exceed
twice the amount of punishment which the Court is competent to inflict for a
single offence.
(3) For the purpose of appeal by a convicted person, the aggregate of the
consecutive sentences passed against him under this section shall be deemed to
be a single sentence.