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1987 Supreme(P&H) 487

PUNJAB AND HARYANA HIGH COURT
I.S. Tiwana, J.
State of Punjab - Petitioner
Versus
Bohar Singh - Respondent
Criminal Misc. No. 2999-M of 1987.
Decided On : 30 July, 1987

Advocates Appeared:
For the Petitioner: Mr. S. S. Saron, A.A.G. Punjab.

The Chief Judicial Magistrate has the jurisdiction to transfer a case to the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate of another district, as per the notification dated March 15, 1985, which extended the jurisdiction of the different Chief Judicial Magistrates in the State of Punjab to the entire State of Punjab.

Headnote:

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE CODE, 1973 - SECTION 11(1-A) - TRANSFER OF CASE - JURISDICTION OF CHIEF JUDICIAL MAGISTRATE - NOTIFICATION EXTENDING JURISDICTION OF CHIEF JUDICIAL MAGISTRATES TO ENTIRE STATE OF PUNJAB - CHIEF JUDICIAL MAGISTRATE COMPETENT TO TRANSFER CASE TO COURT OF CHIEF JUDICIAL MAGISTRATE OF ANOTHER DISTRICT.

Fact of the Case:

The petitioner State filed an application under section 410 of the Criminal Procedure Code for the transfer of a case pending against the respondent in the Court of Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrate, Moga, to the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Sangrur. The Chief Judicial Magistrate, Faridkot, dismissed the application on the ground that he had no jurisdiction to transfer the case outside his jurisdiction, i.e., outside the Sessions Division Faridkot.

Finding of the Court:

The court held that the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Faridkot, had the jurisdiction to transfer the case to the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Sangrur, as per the notification dated March 15, 1985, which extended the jurisdiction of the different Chief Judicial Magistrates in the State of Punjab to the entire State of Punjab.

Issues: Whether the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Faridkot, had the jurisdiction to transfer the case to the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Sangrur.

Ratio Decidendi: The court relied on the notification dated March 15, 1985, which extended the jurisdiction of the different Chief Judicial Magistrates in the State of Punjab to the entire State of Punjab, except that of C. J. M. Patiala and the Additional Senior Sub Judge cum-Judicial Magistrate Ist Class posted at Nabha. The court also relied on the decision in Lalta Prasad Saxena v. State, AIR 1952 Allahabad 70, which held that a Special Magistrate appointed under section 14 of the Criminal Procedure Code (old) is subordinate to the various Sub-divisional Magistrates in the district with whose Sub-divisions he exercises jurisdiction.

Final Decision: The court set aside the impugned order of the Chief Judicial Magistrate dated December 16, 1986 and directed him to dispose of the application of the State filed under section 410, Criminal Procedure Code in accordance with law and the observations made above.

JUDGMENT

I.S. Tiwana. J. - The petitioner States application filed under section 410, Criminal Procedure Code (for short the Code) for the transfer of case, i.e., FIR No 127 date June 19, 1984, under section 25 of the Arms Act, pending against the respondent in the Court of Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrate, at Moga, to the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Sangrur has been dismissed vide the impugned order dated December 16, 1986 on the ground that the said Chief Judicial Magistrate has no jurisdiction, to transfer the said case out of his jurisdiction, i.e., outside the Sessions Division Faridkot. Mr. Saron, learned State counsel impugns this order on the short ground that the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Faridkot, appears to have passed this order in ignorance of the notification dated March 15, 1985, whereby the jurisdiction of the different Chief Judicial Magistrates in the State of Punjab except that of C. J. M. Patiala and the Additional Senior Sub Judge cum-Judicial Magistrate Ist Class posted at Nabha, has been extended to the entire State of Punjab. This notification reads as follows :

The 15th March, 1985, No. 96 Gaz (11)7/XXI. C. 25. - In supersession of this Courts notification No. 256 Gaz. II(7)/XXI. C. 25, dated 26th June, 1984; No. 257 Gaz. II/I(7)/XXI-C. 25, dated 26th June. 1984. No. 258 Gaz-(7)/XX C. 25, dated 26th June 1984, and No. 249-Gaz. II (7)/XXI. C. 25, dated 26th June, 1984 and in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (2) of Section 11 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, Honble the Chief Justice and Judges of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana at Chandigarh are pleased to appoint all the Chief Judicial Magistrates in the State of Punjab (except the Chief Judicial Magistrate Patiala) and the Additional Senior Sub Judge cum Judicial Magistrate Ist Class, Nabha, as the Presiding Officers of the Courts of Judicial Magistrate of the Ist Class, established by the Punjab Government vide their notification No. 1/24/84-3. The dated 7th February 1985, at Amritsar, Sangrur, Ludhiana, Nabha, Ferozepur, Faridkot, Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, Jullundur, Hoshiarpur, Bhatinda and Ropar respectively with local jurisdiction extending over The local area comprising the whole of State of Punjab, in regard to cases generally.

2. A bare reading of this notification it manifestly clear that all the Chief Judicial Magistrates except the one referred to earlier have been made Judicial Magistrate of 1st Class in the entire State of Punjab except their own local areas, i.e., Session Division in which they have been posted as Chief Judicial Magistrate. In a nutshell, by virtue of this notification, C.J.M Faridkot becomes the Judicial Magistrate of Ist Class for the entire area of the State of Punjab other than that of the Sessions Division, Faridkot. Similarly the Chief Judicial Magistrate at Sangrur, though remains the C.J M. for his local area, i. e., Sessions Division, Sangrur, but becomes a Judicial Magistrate for the rest of the State of Punjab. In the light of this factual position, the C.J.M Faridkot, to my mind was certainly competent to transfer the case in question pending in the Court of Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrate, Moga, i.e. a Magistrate subordinate to him to the Court of C.J.M Sangrur who by virtue of the above noted notification had become a Judicial Magistrate for the entire State of Punjab excluding his own local jurisdiction as C.J.M. For this expression of opinion I rely on the following observations made in an earlier case i.e., Lalta Prasad Saxena v. State, AIR 1952 Allahabad 70, while interpreting section 14 of the Criminal Procedure Code (old), which provision is in pari materia with section 11(I-A) of the new Code as inserted by virtue of Punjab Act No. 9 of 1978 with effect from April 14, 1978 :

"It should appear that A Special Magistrate appointed under section 14 is subordinate to the District Magistrate who can give direction about the distribution of work among him and other Magis


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