Code of Criminal Procedure Act, 1973
18.Special Metropolitan Magistrates.-
(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 Code on a Metropolitan Magistrate, in respect to
particular cases or to particular classes of cases or to cases generally, in
any metropolitan area within its local jurisdiction:
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 Metropolitan 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.
(3) Notwithstanding anything contained elsewhere in this Code, a Special
Metropolitan Magistrate shall not impose a sentence which a Judicial Magistrate
of the second class is not competent to impose outside the Metropolitan area.