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CrPC, 1973
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CrPCChapter IISection 20
Section20

Executive Magistrates

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Summary

State Government appoints Executive Magistrates in every district and metropolitan area and must name one as District Magistrate. It can make Executive Magistrates Additional District Magistrates, place them in charge of sub-divisions as Sub-divisional Magistrates, or delegate those powers to the District Magistrate. If the District Magistrate post is vacant, the officer temporarily running the district exercises all DM powers until State orders; in a metro the State may also give some Executive Magistrate powers to the Commissioner of Police under other laws.

Example

Priya is an Executive Magistrate posted to a sub-division in her district. The State Government names her Sub-divisional Magistrate, so she takes charge of local executive duties there. Later the District Magistrate post becomes vacant and Priya temporarily runs the district; pending State orders she exercises the District Magistrate's powers.

Bare Act

Enacted text

(1) In every district and in every metropolitan area. The State Government may appoint as many persons as it thinks fit to be Executive Magistrates and shall appoint one of them to be the District Magistrate.

(2) The State Government may appoint any Executive Magistrate to be an Additional District Magistrate, and such Magistrate shall have the powers of a District Magistrate under this Code or under any other law for the time being in force as may be directed by the State Government.

(3) Whenever, in consequence of the office of a District Magistrate becoming Vacant, any officer succeeds temporarily to the executive administration of the district, such officer shall, pending the orders of the State Government, exercise all the powers and perform all the duties respectively conferred and imposed by this Code on the District Magistrate.

(4) The State Government may place an Executive Magistrate in charge of a sub-division and may relieve him of the charge as occasion requires; and the Magistrate so placed in charge of a sub-division shall be called the Sub-divisional Magistrate.

4A. The State Government may, by general or special order and subject to such control and directions as it may deem fit to impose, delegate its powers under Sub-Section (4) to the District Magistrate.

(5) Nothing in this section shall preclude the State Government from conferring. Under any law for the time being in force, on a Commissioner of Police, all or any of the powers of an Executive Magistrate in relation to a metropolitan area.

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II

Chapter II

Constitution Of Criminal Courts And Offices

In this chapter

  • 6Classes of Criminal Courts
  • 7Territorial divisions
  • 8Metropolitan areas
  • 9Court of Session
  • 10Subordination of Assistant Sessions Judges
  • 11Courts of Judicial Magistrates
  • 12Chief Judicial Magistrate and Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, etc
  • 13Special Judicial Magistrates
  • 14Local Jurisdiction of Judicial Magistrates
  • 15Subordination of Judicial Magistrates
  • 16Courts of Metropolitan Magistrates
  • 17Chief Metropolitan Magistrate and Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate
  • 18Special Metropolitan Magistrates
  • 19Subordination of Metropolitan Magistrates
  • 20Executive Magistrates
  • 21Special Executive Magistrates
  • 22Local Jurisdiction of Executive Magistrates
  • 23Subordination of Executive Magistrates
  • 24Public Prosecutors
  • 25Assistant Public Prosecutors
  • 25ADirectorate of Prosecution
Previous · Section 19Subordination of Metropolitan MagistratesNext · Section 21Special Executive Magistrates