A senior officer demands money to process a licence, but

Solution

Under Section 7 of the PC Act, the offence is complete upon demand or attempt to obtain an undue advantage. Actual payment or receipt of money is not necessary. The law recognises that corruption often manifests at the stage of demand itself, and waiting for acceptance would undermine enforcement. Therefore, when a public servant demands money to process a licence, even if the bribe is not paid, the conduct amounts to an attempt to obtain undue advantage and attracts criminal liability.