Section 284 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023
Section 284 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 empowers the High Court to delegate certain summary trial powers to Magistrates of the second class.
📜 Section 284: Summary Trial by Magistrate of Second Class
The High Court may confer on any Magistrate invested with the powers of a Magistrate of the second class the authority to try summarily any offence that:
Is punishable only with a fine; o
Is punishable with imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, with or without a fine;(
Includes any abetment of or attempt to commit any such offence.
This provision aims to streamline the judicial process for minor offences, allowing designated Magistrates to handle them efficiently.
⚖️ Comparison with CrPC Section 261
Section 284 of the BNSS, 2023 corresponds to Section 261 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973. Both sections grant the High Court the discretion to confer summary trial powers on Magistrates of the second class for specific minor offences. The criteria for such offences are consistent across both legislations.(
🧾 Example Scenario
Scenario: A person is charged with a minor offence, such as public nuisance, which is punishable with a fine.
Application of Section 284: If the High Court has conferred summary trial powers on a Magistrate of the second class, that Magistrate can try the case summarily, expediting the legal process for such minor offences.
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