Amendment status not verified — confirm the current text below against the official source.
Cognizance of offences 24[(1) No court shall take cognizance of any offence under this Act except on a complaint made by- (a) a Board or any officer authorised in this behalf by it; or (b) any person who has given notice of not less than sixty days, in the manner prescribed, of the alleged offence and of his intention to make a complaint, to the Board or officer authorised as aforesaid, and no court inferior to that 25 of a Metropolitan Magistrate or a Judicial Magistrate of the first class shall try any offence punishable under this Act.] 15[(2) Where a complaint has been made under clause (b) of sub-section (1), the Board shall, on demand by such person, make available the relevant reports in its possession to that person: PROVIDED that the Board may refuse to make any such report available to such person if the same is in its opinion, against the public interest.] 31[(3)] Notwithstanding anything contained in section 29 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974), it shall be lawful for any 5[Judicial Magistrate of the first class or for any Metropolitan Magistrate] to pass a sentence of imprisonment for a term exceeding two years or of fine exceeding two thousand rupees on any person convicted of an offence punishable under this Act.