Magistrate and Sessions Court
Bindesi-Iwari Prasad Singh vs Kali Singh[citations: 1977 AIR 2432, 1977 SCR (1) 125]
There is absolutely no provision in the Code of Criminal Procedure of 1908 (which applies to this case) empowering a Magistrate to. review or recall an order passed by him. Code of Criminal Procedure does contain a provision for inherent powers, namely, Section 561-A which, however, confers these powers on the High Court and the High Court alone. Unlike Section 151 of Civil Procedure Code, the subordinate criminal courts have no inherent powers. In these circumstances, there- fore, the learned Magistrate had absolutely no jurisdiction to recall the order dismissing the complaint. The remedy of the respondent was to move the Sessions Judge or the High Court in revision. In fact after having passed the order dated 23-11-1968, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate became functus officio and had no power to review or recall that order on any ground whatsoever. In these circumstances, therefore, the order even if there be one, recalling order dismissing the complaint, was entirely without jurisdiction.
This being the position, all subsequent proceedings follow- ing upon recalling the said order, would fall to the ground including order dated 3-5-1972 summoning the accused which must also be treated to be a nullity and destitute of any legal effect.
