In every district which is not a metropolitan area, there are Courts of Judicial Magistrates of the First Class and of the Second Class. The presiding officers of such Courts are appointed by the High Court. Whenever expedient or necessary, the High Court may confer the powers of the Judicial Magistrate of the First Class or of the Second Class on any member of Judicial Service of the State, functioning as a Judge in a Civil Court.
In every district, not being a metropolitan area, a Judicial Magistrate of the First Class is appointed by the High Court to be the Chief Judicial Magistrate. The High Court may also appoint any Judicial Magistrate of the First Class to be an Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, and if this is done, such a Magistrate is endowed with all or any of the powers of a Chief Judicial Magistrate, as the High Court may direct.
Provisions have also been made in the Code for designating any Judicial Magistrate of the First Class as the Sub-divisional Judicial Magistrate in any sub-division. Such a Magistrate has to exercise such powers of supervision and control over the work of the Judicial Magistrates in the sub-division, as may be specified by the High Court.
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Special Judicial Magistrates may also be appointed by the High Court, if a request to this effect is received from the Central or State Government. Such an appointment can, however, be made for a term not exceeding one year at a time.
Subject to the control of the High Court, the Chief Judicial Magistrate may, from time to time, define the local limits of the area within which Magistrates may exercise their powers under this Code. Unless otherwise specified, the jurisdiction and powers of every Magistrate extends throughout the entire district.
It is also provided that every Chief Judicial Magistrate is subordinate to the Sessions Judge, and every other Judicial Magistrate is subordinate to the Chief Judicial Magistrate. It is for the Chief Judicial Magistrate to make rules for the distribution of business amongst the Judicial Magistrates subordinate to him.
