Additional Chief Metropolitan magistrates in Delhi will now be called Additional Chief Judicial magistrates and Chief Metropolitan magistrates will be called Chief Judicial magistrates.
Get ready to read the word “judicial magistrate first class” on the silver name plates outside the courtrooms of Delhi’s trial court judges – “metropolitan” will no longer be used for any magistrates in Delhi’s courts.
In line with the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) – which has replaced the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) – the Delhi High Court in an order dated July 1 has re-designated all magisterial courts in Delhi. The BNSS has no mention of a “metropolitan” magistrate – it only mentions “judicial” magistrates.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (2) of Section 9 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 and all other powers enabling them in this behalf, Hon’ble the Acting Chief Justice and Hon’ble Judges of this Court have been pleased to re-designate the existing Magisterial Courts of Chief Metropolitan Magistrates, Addl. Chief Metropolitan Magistrates, Metropolitan Magistrates, etc. of all the Metropolitan Areas (erstwhile)/Judicial Districts of the National Capital Territory of Delhi,” read the order.
Additional Chief Metropolitan magistrates in Delhi will now be called Additional Chief Judicial magistrates and Chief Metropolitan magistrates will be called Chief Judicial magistrates. On the other hand, metropolitan magistrates will now be called judicial magistrates first class.
Other High Courts too have indulged in this nomenclature changing exercise. For instance, the Allahabad HC had issued a notification changing the designation from metropolitan to judicial on June 26 itself.