PURPOSE: To prevent the consumption of useless electric power by a method wherein an electric discharging type switching circuit, in which an induction discharging function due to the interruption of a current is stopped selectively based on an engine operating condition signal, is provided in the compound electric current interrupting capacity and electric discharge type ignition device.

CONSTITUTION: In the titled device, a high voltage is impressed to an ignition plug (g) through the ignition coil 5 by discharging a capacitor 3 through a thyristor by putting an interrupting transistor ON or OFF by ON or OFF of a contact breaker. In this case, a relay 25, utilized for an electric discharge type switching section, is added newly. The normally opened contact 25a of the relay 25 is connected inbetween the (-) side of the primary coil 5a of the ignition coil 5 and the (+) side of an electric source while the normally closed contact 25b thereof is connected in parallel inbetween the collector and the emitter of a transistor Tr6. An engine operating condition detecting sensor 27 is connected to the base of the transistor Tr26 for controlling the coil 25c of the relay 25.