CrPC Section 29 — Sentences which Magistrates may pass

CHAPTER II CONSTITUTION OF CRIMINAL COURTS AND OFFICES

General

Summary

Sub-section (1) allows a Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court to impose any sentence authorised by law, except death, imprisonment for life, or imprisonment for more than seven years.

Sub-section (2) allows a Magistrate of the first class’s Court to impose imprisonment for up to three years, a fine of up to ten thousand rupees, or both. The supplied text contains the intervening fragment “Code (45 of 1860)” and an amendment note between “not” and “exceeding three years.”

Sub-section (3) allows a Magistrate of the second class’s Court to impose imprisonment for up to one year, a fine of up to five thousand rupees, or both.

Sub-section (4) gives a Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court the powers of a Chief Judicial Magistrate’s Court. It gives a Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court the powers of a Magistrate of the first class’s Court.

Official Text

(1) The Court of a Chief Judicial Magistrate may pass any sentence authorised by law except a sentence of death or of imprisonment for life or of imprisonment for a term exceeding seven years.

(2) The Court of a Magistrate of the first class may pass a sentence of imprisonment for a term not Code (45 of 1860)” (w.e.f. 3-2-2013). exceeding three years, or of fine not exceeding 1[ten thousand rupees], or of both.

(3) The Court of Magistrate of the second class may pass a sentence of imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year, or of fine not exceeding 2[five thousand rupees], or of both.

(4) The Court of a Chief Metropolitan Magistrate shall have the powers of the Court of a Chief Judicial Magistrate and that of a Metropolitan Magistrate, the powers of the Court of a Magistrate of the first class.

Referred to by

CrPC §30 — Sentence of imprisonment in default of fine

Related Judgments

RAKESH MITTAL vs AJAY PAL GUPTA @ SONU CHAUDHARY AND ANOTHER — Supreme Court of India (2026)
SHANTI LAL vs STATE OF M.P — Supreme Court of India (2007)
Mumbai Grahak Panchayat and Another. vs State of Maharashtra and Others., .., –, Shri Uday P. Warunjikar for t — Bombay High Court (Mumbai Principal Seat) (2017)
Shivaji Tukaram Dhamdhere And Anr. vs The State of Maharashtra — Bombay High Court (Mumbai Principal Seat) (2025)
STATE OF UTIAR PRADESH vs SABIR ALI AND ANR — Supreme Court of India (1964)
PANKAJBHAL NAGJIBHAI PATEL vs THE STATE OF GUJARAT AND ANR — Supreme Court of India (2001)

Old <-> New Code Mapping

BNSS §23 — Sentences which Magistrates may pass