SRINAGAR: The High Court of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh has empowered newly appointed Civil Judges (Junior Division) to exercise specified powers of Judicial Magistrates First Class within their respective districts, including recording confessions and statements, supervising the sampling and sealing of seized narcotics, and administering oaths for affidavits.
The powers have been conferred on the judges appointed through Government Order No. 13833-JK(LD) of 2026, dated October 27, under an order issued by the High Court’s Registrar General in November 2026.
The authorisation will take effect from the date of their positioning in the respective courts and will remain restricted to the functions specified in the order, subject to the applicable statutory provisions and rules.
Under the order, the Civil Judges (Junior Division) can record confessions and statements under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, or Section 183 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, as applicable.
They have also been authorised to supervise the drawing, packing and sealing of representative samples of seized narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and controlled substances, wherever required.
The exercise of these powers will be governed by Section 52A of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, read with the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Seizure, Storage, Sampling and Disposal) Rules, 2022, and other applicable directions.
The third function assigned to the judges is administering oaths and affirmations for affidavits under Section 3(2)(a) of the Oaths Act, 1969, and other relevant laws and rules.
The High Court has made a separate provision for Civil Judges (Junior Division) currently attached to the J&K Judicial Academy. They will be able to exercise the specified powers only from the date their positioning orders for the courts are issued.
