BBanaka

CrPC Section 12: Chief Judicial Magistrate and Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, etc

Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 · Chapter 2: Constitution of Criminal court and offices

Repealed on 1 July 2024 and replaced by the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS).

12. Chief Judicial Magistrate and Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, etc. -(1) In every district (not being a metropolitan area), the High Court shall appoint a Judicial Magistrate of the first class to the Chief Judicial Magistrate.


(2) The High Court may appoint any Judicial Magistrate of the first class to be an Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, and such Magistrate shall have all or any of the powers of a Chief Judicial Magistrate under this Code or under any other law for the time being in force as the High Court may direct.

(3) (a) The High Court may designate any Judicial Magistrate of the first class in any sub-division as the Sub-divisional Judicial Magistrate and relieve him of the responsibilities specified in this section as occasion requires.

(b) Subject to the general control of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, every Sub-divisional Judicial Magistrate shall also have and exercise, such powers of supervision and control over the work of the Judicial Magistrates (other than Additional Chief Judicial Magistrates) in the sub-division as the High Court may, by general or special order, specify in this behalf.

STATE AMENDMENTS

Nagaland:

In section 12, in sub-sections (1), (2) and (3) the words "High Court" shall be substituted by the words "State Government" wherever they occur.

[Vide Notification Law 170/74 Leg., dated 3rd July, 1975.]

Uttar Pradesh:

In section 12, after sub-section (3), the following sub-section shall be inserted, namely:--

"(4) Where the office of the Chief Judicial Magistrate is vacant or he is incapacitated by illness, absence or otherwise for the performance of his duties, the senior-most among the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate and other judicial Magistrates present at the place, and in their absence the district magistrate and in his absence the senior-most Executive Magistrate shall dispose of the urgent work of the Chief Judicial Magistrate,"

[Vide Uttar Pradesh Act 1 of 1984, Section 3 (w.e.f. 1-5-1984).]

Study: explanations and related material

Now BNSS 10 (corresponding section). CrPC → BNSS converterSource: BPR&D BNSS–CrPC corresponding section table (UP Police, 2024-07-03), p1

Official reference: Ministry of Home Affairs: historical CrPC reference — source link checked: 2 October 2026.Recorded edition / snapshot date: 2024-06-30.Mobile-app reference import; the recorded snapshot date is not a fresh legal-currency guarantee. The linked government text is an independent authoritative reference, not certification that this website reproduces the same edition. The source link was checked, not every provision or subsequent amendment. Check commencement notifications, savings and jurisdiction-specific variations separately. Section 135 was restored and individually checked against the linked government PDF (pages 75–76) on 2026-10-02; this is not a verification of the whole collection. Schedules and forms are not consolidated here. Historical code retained for reference; read the repeal/savings provisions in the successor code.

This text is for reference, not legal advice. Consult the official source for the authoritative text.

Other sections in this chapter