Report On The Administration Of Criminal Justice In The Punjab And Its Dependencies During The Year 1884

· 1885 · Public domain (published pre-1930) · archive.org ↗

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2will be necessary to exercise his enhanced powers of punishment in the event of

3a conviction. ‘The Chief Court, in issuing instructions on the subject, refrained

4from insisting on the general adoption of such a rule, holding that the District

5Magistrate must be considered responsible for the proper treatment of such

6cases by the Courts of his District. All cages in which the accused have boen

7previously convicted ure entured in a District monthly statement which comes

8before the Court for review; and action is taken whenever it appears that an

9inadequate sentence has been passed. As already remarked, a interference

10ig necessary in-comparatively few cases; and most District Magistrates are alive

11to the importance of taking steps to prevent persons previously convicted from

12escaping with light sentences. *

13lt has been held by the Court that the discovery, subsequent to conviction

14and sentence, that an accused person has under another name been punished, is

15not a sufficient reason for revising the order. It1s the duty of the Police to

16obtain proof of the identity of-the accused, and to bring home to him previous

17convictions.

18There is still some laxity in many Courts in the matter of proving and

19setting forth against accused persons previous convictions,

2090, Appended to this Report will be found such extracts from the District

21Extracte from Reports #24 Divisional Reports as appeared of special interest.

22of District Magistratesand These have been printed in accordance with the sanction

23penn nat conveyed in letter No. 1137, dated 13th Decomber 1884,

24from the Secretary to Government, Punjab. it must be remembered that

25almost all the Sessions Judges are not only new to their Divisions, but. also that

26most of them had never held the position before; and, as their Reports are

27written usually after two months’ experience, it was vot to be expected that

28they should contain very much information. Very many of the District Magis-

29trates, too, were new to their charges, and could do little more than review the

30figures laid before them.

31I have the honor to be,

32Sir,

33Your most obedient servant,

34T, GORDON-WALKER,

35Registrar, Chief Court, Punjab.