S.138 NI Act: Delhi High Court Appoints 5 Retired Judges As Presiding Officers Of Special Courts

The Delhi High Court has appointed five retired judicial officers as Presiding Officers of Special Courts (Negotiable Instruments Act) established in compliance of Supreme Court's directions in "in Re: Expeditious Trial of Cases under sec. 138 of NI Act."

The appointments are as follows:

- Mr. Rakesh Siddhartha

- Mr. C.K. Chaturvedi

- Dr. Satinder Kumar Gautam

- Mr. Chandra Bose

- Mr. Ram Bhagat Singh

The postings will come into effect from September 1, 2022.

As per the order dated August 30, 2022, Presiding Officers, Special Court (NI Act) shall be under the control of the Principal District & Sessions Judge of the District to which they have been allocated.

"The concerned Principal District and Sessions Judge(s) shall withdraw cases under Section 138 of . the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 from existing Courts and assign them to the aforesaid Special Courts (NI Act) in terms of the earlier directions issued by this. Court and the directions issued by Hon'ble Supreme Court vide order dated 19.05.2022 in Suo Moto Writ (Criminal) No.2 of 2020 in Re: "Expeditious Trial of Cases under Section 138 of NI Act, 1881"," it adds.

The Supreme Court's constitution bench had issued a set of directions to expedite the trial of cheque dishonour cases under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act.

The Court had requested the High Courts to issue practice directions to the Magistrates to record reasons before converting trial of complaints under Section 138 of the Act from summary trial to summons trial.

Click Here To Read Order