ORDER :

1. Is it legal and proper to order that deposit of amount under Section 148(1) of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (hereinafter referred to as 'the Act') shall be made within a period of less than sixty days?

2. The petitioner is the accused in the case S.T No. 3225/2015 on the file of the Court of the Judicial First Class Magistrate, Taliparamba.

3. The trial court found the petitioner guilty of the offence punishable under Section 138 of the Act and convicted him thereunder. The trial court sentenced the petitioner to undergo simple imprisonment for a period of three months and directed him to pay an amount of Rs.5,00,000/-as compensation to the complainant and in default of payment of compensation, to undergo simple imprisonment for a period of two months.

4. The petitioner filed appeal before the Court of Session, Thalassery, challenging the order of conviction and sentence passed against him by the trial court. The Sessions Court admitted the appeal.

5. The petitioner had filed an application as Crl.M.P No. 7737/2019 in the appellate court for suspension of the sentence imposed on him by the trial court. As per Annexure-II order dated 24.12.2019, the appellate court sus