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Wednesday, 11 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 16 BNSS: Local Jurisdiction of Executive

Corresponding CrPC
Section 22 CrPC

Bare Act text

(1) Subject to the control of the State Government, the District Magistrate may, from time to time, define the local limits of the areas within which the Executive Magistrates may exercise all or any of the powers with which they may be invested under this Sanhita.

(2) Except as otherwise provided by such definition, the jurisdiction and powers of every such Magistrate shall extend throughout the district.

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

Lets the District Magistrate, subject to State Government control, define the local limits within which Executive Magistrates exercise their powers. Unless so defined, a Magistrate's jurisdiction and powers extend throughout the district.

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
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