Sections 493 and 496 are somewhat alike but they differ in certain respects. Under Section 493 deception is practiced by a man on the woman and sexual intercourse taken place as consequence of deception. Under Section 496 there is no need of deception, cohabitation or sexual intercourse.
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For the application of Section 496 it is necessary that one of the parties to the marriage must have misused marriage ceremony dishonestly or fraudulently. The offence mentioned in Section 493 can be committed by a male only whereas the offence mentioned in Section 496 can be committed either by a male or a female.