Amendment status not verified — confirm the current text below against the official source.
(1) No prosecution under this Act shall be instituted except by or with the previous sanction of the District Magistrate or a Magistrate of the first class specially empowered in this behalf by the [State Government]1. (2) No offence punishable under this Act shall be tried by any court inferior to that of a Magistrate of the first class. Power of the magistrate to pass sentence