Amendment status not verified — confirm the current text below against the official source.
Substituted by Central Act 9 of 1959. Section53B Penalties (1) No Panchayati Adalat shall inflict a substantive sentence of imprisonment. (2) A Panchayati Adalat may impose a fine not exceeding one hundred rupees but no imprisonment may be awarded in default of payment: Provided that no accused shall be tried for more than three offences in the same criminal case and the fine that may be imposed on one accused in a criminal case shall not in the aggregate exceed one hundred rupees.] Section53C Certain persons not to be tried by Panchayati Adalat No Panchayati Adalat shall try and criminal case against a person where such person (a) has been previously convicted of an offence punishable with imprisonment for a term of three years or more; (b) has been previously fined for theft by any Panchayati Adalat; (c) has been bound over to be of good behaviour under Section 109 or 110 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898; (d) has been previously convicted under the Public Gambling Act, 1867 or the Delhi Public Gambling Act, 1955; or (e) is a public servant. Section53D Summary disposal of Complaint A Panchayati Adalat may dismiss any complaint if after examining the complainant and taking such evidence as he may produce, it is satisfied that the complaint is frivolous, vexatious or untrue]. Section53E Compensation to complainants In imposing any fine, the Panchayati Adalat may order any portion or the whole of the fine recovered to be applied - (a) in defraying the expenses properly incurred in the criminal case by the complainant; (b) in the payment to any person or compensation for any material loss or injury caused by the offence; or (c) in compensating any bona fide purchaser of stolen property for loss of the same where property is restored to the possession of the person entitled thereto]. Section53F Compensation to the accused (1) If an any criminal case before a Panchayati Adalat the accused is acquitted or discharged and the Panchayati Adalat is of the opinion that the accusation against him was false and either frivolous or vexatious, the Panchayati Adalat may call upon complainant forthwith to show cause why he should not be compensation to the accused. (2) If after hearing the complaint, the Panchayati Adalat is satisfied that the accusation was false and either frivolous or vexatious, it may direct that compensation not exceeding twenty-five rupees be paid by the complainant to the accused]. Section53G Enquiry into cases forwarded by Magistrates Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, a magistrate may direct an enquiry referred to in Section 202 of that Code to be made by a Panchayati Adalat in a criminal case in which the offence has been committed within the territorial limits of a Circle Panchayat]. Section53H Recovery of fines and compensation Any fine imposed in a case or compensation ordered to be paid under Section 53-F by a Panchayati Adalat shall be recoverable in the manner provided in Section 386 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, but if the Panchayati Adalat finds any difficulty in its recovery, it may request the magistrate within whose jurisdiction the Panchayati Adalat lies to recover it as if the sentence of fine or the order directing payment of compensation had been passed by him]. Section53I Contempt of Panchayati Adalat (1) If any person intentionally offers any insult to a Panchayati Adalat or any member thereof, while the Panchayati Adalat is sitting in any stage of judicial proceedings, in its or his view or presence or refuses to take oath duly administered or sign a statement made by the said person when legally required to do so, the Panchayati Adalat may at any time before rising on the same day take cognizance of the offence and sentence the offender to a fine not exceeding five rupees. (2) The fine imposed under sub-section (1) shall, for the purpose of Section 53-H, be deemed to be a fine imposed in a criminal case]. Section53J Conviction of a Panchayati Adalat not a previous conviction No conviction by the Panchayati Adalat shall be deemed to be a previous conviction for the purposes of Section 75 of the Indian Penal Code, or Section 562 or 565 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, or Section 3 of the Probation of Offenders Act, 1958]. Section54 Revenue cases Notwithstanding anything contained in the Delhi Land Revenue Act, 1954, all proceedings under Sections [* * *] 27 and 28 of that Act shall be transferred by the Tahsildar to the Circle Panchayat within the local area of which the land concerned is situated and the Circle Panchayat shall decide shall proceedings in the manner prescribed: Provided that where land included in the local area of more than one Circle Panchayat is concerned, that Circle, Panchayat shall have jurisdiction in which the recorded Asami or the tenure holder ordinarily resides or if he resides is none, the Tahsildar shall refer the proceeding to the Circle Panchayat within the area of which the greater part of the land is situated : Provided further that no such proceeding in which land paying more than rupees 100 as land revenue is involved shall be transferred to a Circle Panchayat: Section55 Extent of jurisdiction (1) The jurisdiction of a Circle Panchayat shall extend to any suit of the following description if its value does not exceed two hundred rupees : (a) a suit for money due on contract, other than a contract in respect of immovable property; (b) a suit for the recovery of movable property or for the value thereof; (c) a suit for compensation for wrongfully taking or injuring a movable property; or (d) a suit for damages caused by cattle trespass. (2) The Chief Commissioner or the prescribed authority may, by notification in the official Gazette, direct that the jurisdiction of any Circle Panchayat shall extend to all such suits of such value not exceeding five hundred rupees as may be specified in the notification. Section56 Extention of jurisdiction by agreement of parties Notwithstanding anything contained in Section 55, parties may be written agreement refer any suit to a Circle Panchayat for decision by it if the value of such suit does not exceed the pecuniary limits of the appellate jurisdiction of the Senior Sub-Judge and thereupon the Circle Panchayat shall dispose of such in accordance with rules made" under this Act]. Section57 Exclusion of Circle Panchayat jurisdiction A Circle Panchayat shall have no jurisdiction to take cognizance of the following suits; (1) a suit for a balance of partnership account, unless a balance has been struck by the parties or their agents; (2) a suit for a share or part of share under an intestacy or for a legacy or part of a legacy under a will; (3) a suit by or against the Government or a public servant for acts done in his official capacity; (4) a suit by or against a minor or a person of unsound mind; (5) a suit cognizable by a revenue court under the Delhi Land Reforms Act, 1954, except as provided in this Act. Section58 Suits to include the whole claim (1) Every suits instituted before a Circle Panchayat shall include the whole of the claim which the plaintiff is entitled to make in respect of the matter in dispute, but he may relinquish any portion of his claim in order to bring the suit within the jurisdiction of the Circle Panchayat. (2) If a plaintiff omits to sue in respect of or relinquishes any portion of it, he shall not afterwards sue in respect of the portions so omitted or relinquished. Section59 Limitation Every suit instituted before a Circle Panchayat after the period of limitation prescribed therefore in the Schedule shall be dismissed, even though limitation has not been set up as a defence. Section60 Effect of decision by a Panchayati Adalat The decision of a Panchayati Adalat on the question of title, legal character, contract or obligation shall not bind the parties except in respect of the suit in which such matter is decided. Section61 Revision In all proceeding referred to in Section 54, the Collector shall have powers of revision either reference made to him or on his own motion; but there shall be no appeal against any order of a Panchayati Adalat notwithstanding any provision in the Delhi Land Revenue Act, 1954, to the contrary. Section62 Res-Judicata (1) No Panchayati Adalat shall try any suit, proceeding or issue in respect of any matter which is pending for decision in or had been heard or decided by a court of competent jurisdiction in a former suit or proceeding between the same parties or between the parties under whom they or any of them claim.