Explain the following: Compounding of Offence and its advantages.

Compounding of Offence Compounding means that the accused and the complainant have come to terms and the dispute between the parties has been settled amicably or adjusted by agreement and the complainant agrees not to prosecute the accused. The accused and the complainant then make a joint application to the court that the parties have come to terms and the case may not be proceeded with. Thus, in compounding, there is a compromise or agreement, while in case of imposition of fine under the provisions of an Act, there is no agreement as such. Generally, offences which are of a private nature and relatively not serious are made compoundable. Advantages of Compounding There are various advantages of compounding under any legislation, if it is done before the trial by the court, wherein either of the parties to the dispute which is at fault willingly agrees to its fault and a compromise is done between both the parties without the matter being adjudicated by the court. Compounding saves the parties from the hassle of spending a lot of money, time and energy in lengthy legal proceedings. In a country like India where there are thousands of cases pending in the courts, 'compounding' is a good way of settling disputes or matters.