Field officers given powers for summary trials, sentencing.

Byline: Asif Chaudhry

LAHORE -- The Punjab government has conferred the magisterial powers of special magistrates (first class) to executive field officers after certain amendments to the law from the provincial assembly.

The powers were granted to all deputy commissioners, additional deputy commissioners (general), additional deputy commissioners (revenue), additional deputy commissioners (F and P), additional deputy commissioners (headquarters) and assistant commissioners of Punjab.

The powers of special magistrate (first class) were conferred under Section 14-A of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898 to the officers, by designation, for carrying out raids, conducting trials of offences and other ancillary matters relating to price control/hoarding prevention, forests, mines and minerals, food adulteration, food safety, encroachments on public lands and lands owned by the governments, canal and drainage, dangerous driving and violation of route permits, safety and design of buildings, land use and municipal services under any provincial/federal law in vogue, stated a notification issued by the home department on Wednesday.

An official privy to the development told Dawn that the new powers were assigned to the field officers after amendments to laws from the Punjab Assembly. He said the code of procedure was a concurrent subject which the provincial government could amend as long as the proposed amendments were not inconsistent with one or more provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, enacted by the federal government.

Orders passed by 'mobile courts' appealable in district court

'The Section 14-A of the CrPC enables the provincial government to appoint special magistrates with powers of first class magistrates for the purpose of price control,' the official said.

However, quick and enforcement on the spot was not only...