How the power under Section 156 (3) of Cr.P.C. has to be exercised ?
Priyanka Srivastava and Another v. State of Uttar Pradesh and Others - (2015) 6 SCC 287
How the power under Section 156 (3) of Cr.P.C. has to be exercised ?
1) There has to be prior applications under Sections 154(1) and 154(3) while filing a petition under Section 156(3). Both the aspects should be clearly spelt out in the application and necessary documents to that effect shall be filed.
2) Section 156(3) CrPC applications are to be supported by an affidavit duly sworn by the applicant who seeks the invocation of the jurisdiction of the Magistrate.
3) The learned Magistrate would be well advised to verify the truth and also can verify the veracity of the allegations.
4) Endeavour is to see that no false affidavit is made. It is because once an affidavit is found to be false, he will be liable for prosecution in accordance with law. This will deter him to casually invoke the authority of the Magistrate under Section 156(3). Applications u/s.156(3) of CrPC are being filed in a routine manner without taking any responsibility whatsoever only to harass certain persons.
5) A number of cases pertaining to fiscal sphere, matrimonial dispute/family disputes, commercial offences, medical negligence
cases, corruption cases and the cases where there is abnormal delay/laches in initiating criminal prosecution, as are illustrated
in Lalita Kumari [(2014) 2 SCC 1 : (2014) 1 SCC (Cri) 524] are being filed.
6) The learned Magistrate would also be aware of the delay in lodging of the FIR.
Thank you
Team E C T L A