Section 15 of the BNSS, 2023 (Special Executive Magistrates)

Section 15 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 provides a specialized mechanism for the State Government to handle unique administrative needs or temporary law-and-order challenges. It allows for the appointment of Special Executive Magistrates (SEMs), who are vested with specific powers for limited durations or particular tasks.

This section corresponds to Section 21 of the CrPC but introduces a top-tier procedural change: it explicitly authorizes the appointment of senior police officers as SEMs, a role previously often reserved for revenue officers or civil administrators.

1. Appointment and Eligibility

The power to appoint SEMs is a discretionary tool used by the State Government to ensure high-level responsiveness during emergencies, festivals, elections, or complex investigations.

• The Scope: The State Government may appoint SEMs for:
  1. Particular Areas: Such as a specific sensitive zone or a temporary fairground.
  2. Particular Functions: Such as overseeing a specific eviction drive or a large-scale public event.
• New Eligibility (The SP Rank): For the first time, the bare act explicitly mentions that any police officer not below the rank of Superintendent of Police (SP) or equivalent can be appointed as an SEM. This is the best visible structural integration of senior police leadership into the magisterial framework.
• Tenure: These appointments are for “such term as [the State Government] may think fit,” typically being temporary or linked to a specific mission.

Also Read: How to Prepare an Affidavit for Court

2. Powers and Functions

The State Government determines the specific “menu” of powers an SEM will exercise. These are generally preventative rather than punitive.

• Preventative Powers: SEMs are often granted powers under Section 126 to 129 of BNSS (formerly Sections 107–110 CrPC) to take security for keeping the peace or for good behavior.
• Public Order: They may be empowered to disperse unlawful assemblies or handle public nuisances.
• Administrative Nature: Unlike Judicial Magistrates, their role is optimized for “Suraksha” (security) and administrative order.

Notable Case Laws

The appointment of police officers to magisterial roles has historically been a point of high legal debate regarding the separation of powers.

1. Devi v. Executive Magistrate-Cum-DCP (2020)

In this significant ruling (reaffirmed in recent 2024-25 discussions), the Madras High Court examined whether police officers acting as Executive Magistrates could exercise judicial-like powers (such as sentencing someone to prison for breach of a peace bond).

• The Ruling: The Court held that while police officers (like DCPs or SPs) can be appointed as SEMs, they cannot exercise “judicial” functions that result in the deprivation of liberty (like imprisonment) without following strict due process. Their role must remain primarily administrative and preventative.

2. Gulam Abbas v. State of U.P. (1981)

This classic precedent remains proven and relevant under the BNSS.

• The Ruling: The Supreme Court clarified that the actions of Special Executive Magistrates are executive/administrative in character. Therefore, they are not “Courts” in the strict sense, and their orders are subject to writ jurisdiction under Article 226 or 32 if they violate fundamental rights.

3. Hari Singh v. State of Haryana (1993)

The court emphasized that the appointment of an SEM must be based on a visible necessity.

• The Ruling: The State cannot appoint SEMs arbitrarily. There must be a specific “function” or “area” requirement that justifies why a regular Executive Magistrate (like a Tehsildar or DM) cannot handle the task.

Key Comparison: BNSS Section 15 vs. CrPC Section 21

Rationale: Why Appoint Police as SEMs?

The inclusion of the SP rank in Section 15 is a best-fit reform for modern policing:

• Immediate Response: In high-stakes riots or security threats, an SP with magisterial powers can pass necessary preventative orders on the spot without waiting for a civil DM/SDM.
• Accountability: By naming the rank (SP or above), the BNSS ensures that only top-tier, experienced officers handle these delicate magisterial duties.
• Uniformity: It legalizes a practice that was already happening in various states (like Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu) through local amendments, bringing them under a single national framework.