Section 18 - Code of Criminal Procedure Act, 1973

18.Special Metropolitan Magistrates.-

(1) The High Court may, if requested by the Central or State Government so to do, confer upon any person who holds or has held any post under the Government, all or any of the powers conferred or conferrable by or under this Code on a Metropolitan Magistrate, in respect to particular cases or to particular classes of cases or to cases generally, in any metropolitan area within its local jurisdiction:

Provided that no such power shall be conferred on a person unless he possesses such qualification or experience in relation to legal affairs as the High Court may, by rules, specify.

(2) Such Magistrates shall be called Special Metropolitan Magistrates and shall be appointed for such term, not exceeding one year at a time, as the High Court may, by general or special order, direct.

(3) Notwithstanding anything contained elsewhere in this Code, a Special Metropolitan Magistrate shall not impose a sentence which a Judicial Magistrate of the second class is not competent to impose outside the Metropolitan area.