Section 19 of The Maritime Zones of India (Regulation of Fishing by Foreign Vessels) Act, 1981
- (1)No Court shall take cognizance of any offence punishable under this Act except on a report in writing of the facts constituting such offence made by an authorised officer.
- (2)No Court inferior to that of a Metropolitan Magistrate or a Judicial Magistrate of the first class shall try any offence under this Act.
Summary
- A court cannot start a case for an offence under this law unless an authorised officer provides a written report of the facts.
- Ordinary citizens cannot bypass the authorised officer to take a case directly to the court.
- Trials for offences under this law must be handled by a Metropolitan Magistrate or a Judicial Magistrate of the first class.
- Any court lower than a Metropolitan Magistrate or a Judicial Magistrate of the first class is not legally allowed to try these cases.
Practical examples
FAQ
1. Can any police officer or citizen report a crime directly to the court under this law?
No, the court will only look at the case if the facts are submitted in a written report by a specifically authorised officer.
2. Can a junior judge handle my case to speed things up?
No, the law strictly requires that no court lower than a Metropolitan Magistrate or a Judicial Magistrate of the first class can try these offences.
3. Is a verbal report from an authorised officer enough to start a trial?
No, the report detailing the facts of the offence must be in writing.
Test yourself
Q1.Under Section 19 of The Maritime Zones of India (Regulation of Fishing by Foreign Vessels) Act, 1981, who must submit the report for a court to take notice of an offence?
Q2.Under Section 19 of The Maritime Zones of India (Regulation of Fishing by Foreign Vessels) Act, 1981, what format must the report of the offence be in?
Q3.Under Section 19 of The Maritime Zones of India (Regulation of Fishing by Foreign Vessels) Act, 1981, which of the following courts is the lowest level allowed to try an offence?
Q4.Under Section 19 of The Maritime Zones of India (Regulation of Fishing by Foreign Vessels) Act, 1981, can a court inferior to a Metropolitan Magistrate try a case if the authorised officer agrees?
Q5.Under Section 19 of The Maritime Zones of India (Regulation of Fishing by Foreign Vessels) Act, 1981, what happens if a report is made but not by an authorised officer?