1952 Supreme(All) 195
HIGH COURT OF ALLAHBAD
MISRA, J.
Sadal
Versus
State.
Criminal revn. No.9 of 1952
Decided On : 19-08-1952
Kalbe Mustafa-for Applicants; Dy. Govt.Advocate- for the State.
Headnote:
District Boards Act - Summary Trial - Bye-law Prohibition
Fact of the Case:
The applicants were convicted of contravening a bye-law under the District Boards Act by slaughtering bullocks at a specific location. They were released under the First Offenders Act but sought revision of the decision.
Finding of the Court:
The court rejected technical arguments regarding the bye-law's validity, violation of constitutional rights, and the competency of the magistrate. It upheld the summary trial and found no miscarriage of justice.
Issues: Validity of bye-law, violation of constitutional rights, competency of the magistrate, appropriateness of summary trial
Ratio Decidendi: The bye-law was found to be within the powers conferred by the District Boards Act and did not violate constitutional rights. The magistrate was deemed competent, and the summary trial was considered appropriate for the petty case.
Final Decision: The revision application was dismissed due to the lack of substance in the arguments presented.
2. I am not impressed by any of those arguments. The byelaws were framed under S.174, District Boards Act which authorises a Board by special resolution to make byelaws applicable to the whole or any part of the rural area of the district for the purpose of promoting or maintaining the health, safety or convenience of the inhabitants of such area and for the furtherance of the administration of the district under the Act. In particular and without prejudice to the generarity of these powers, a Board is authorized to make bye. laws for the purpose of regulating slaughter houses and offensive, dangerous, and obnoxious trades, callings, or practices and prescribing fees to defray the expenditure incurred by a Board in that connection. The power to regulate offensive and obnoxious trades and practices must be deemed to include the power to prohibit such trades or practices being carried out in particular places or in particular areas and since the bye. law only attempts to do this and no more, it is not prima facie ultra vires the powers conferred on the Board by S.174. Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution likewise has no application to the matter inasmuch as the bye-law does not prohibit the carrying on of any profession or trade in contravention of the constitutional injunctions. It is noticeable that by cl.6 of the aforesaid article, the constitution expressly saves the operation of any existing law in so far as it imposes in the interest of the general public reasonable restrictions on the exercise of the right to practise any profession or carry on any occupation, trade or business.
3. As regards the competency of the learned Magistrate to try the accused or the expediency of holding a summary trial, it cannot be doubted that the learned Magistrate was competent to take cognizance of the case on challan by the Station Officer of thana Nazirabad in view of bye-law 4 published in the U.P. Gazette referred to above which authorises every police officer on duty not below the rank of Sub. Inspector to send up complaints regarding the contravention of bye-law 1. The case arose within the jurisdiction of aforenamed police station. The Station Officer must be deemed to be on duty and, therefore, empowered to send up the complaint against the accused. The case was a petty one. It did not merit anything better than a summary trial and in my judgment there is no substance in the contention that the accused should have been tried in a regular manner.
4. There is no miscarriage of justice. I dismiss the revision application.
Revision dismissed.