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Thursday, 12 November 2026 Judgments, law jobs and study notes, written by a practising advocate
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 · Chapter II: Constitution Of Criminal Courts And Offices

Section 11 BNSS: Special Judicial Magistrates

Corresponding CrPC
Section 13 CrPC

Bare Act text

(1) The High Court may, if requested by the Central or State Government so to do, confer upon any person who holds or has held any post under the Government, all or any of the powers conferred or conferrable by or under this Sanhita on a Judicial Magistrate of the first class or of the second class, in respect to particular cases or to particular classes of cases, in any local area:

Provided that no such power shall be conferred on a person unless he possesses such qualification or experience in relation to legal affairs as the High Court may, by rules, specify.

(2) Such Magistrates shall be called Special Judicial Magistrates and shall be appointed for such term, not exceeding one year at a time, as the High Court may, by general or special order, direct.

Text as enacted in the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (Act No. 46 of 2023), in force from 1 July 2024. Source: India Code, Government of India.

In simple words

Allows the High Court, on request of the Central or State Government, to confer Judicial Magistrate powers on a person who holds or has held a government post, for particular cases or classes of cases in a local area. Such persons are called Special Judicial Magistrates, and must have the legal qualification or experience the High Court specifies by rules.

Chapter II: Constitution Of Criminal Courts And Offices

  1. 6 Classes of Criminal Courts
  2. 7 Territorial divisions
  3. 8 Court of Session
  4. 9 Courts of Judicial Magistrates
  5. 10 Chief Judicial Magistrate and Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, etc
  6. 11 Special Judicial Magistrates
  7. 12 Local Jurisdiction of Judicial Magistrates
  8. 13 Subordination of Judicial Magistrates
  9. 14 Executive Magistrates
  10. 15 Special Executive Magistrates
  11. 16 Local Jurisdiction of Executive
  12. 17 Subordination of Executive Magistrates
  13. 18 Public Prosecutors
  14. 19 Assistant Public Prosecutors
  15. 20 Directorate of Prosecution