Power to try summarily.

What this section does

Chief Judicial Magistrates and first-class Magistrates are empowered to try specified categories of offences summarily, including petty theft, receiving stolen property, and certain other offences where property value does not exceed twenty thousand rupees. A Magistrate may also try summarily any offence not punishable with death, life imprisonment, or imprisonment exceeding three years, after giving the accused a reasonable opportunity to be heard and recording reasons in writing. If during a summary trial it appears the case is undesirable to try summarily, the Magistrate must recall witnesses and re-hear the case under the regular procedure.

AI-generated plain-language summary. For the binding statutory text, see India Code (official).

Procedure at a glance

Key actors

Chief Judicial Magistrate · Magistrate of the first class · Accused

Time limit

None specified

Derived from CrPC s.260.