Powers of Appellate Court
Full Text
After perusing such record and hearing the appellant or his advocate, if he appears, and the Public Prosecutor if he appears, and in case of an appeal under section 418 or section 419, the accused, if he appears, the Appellate Court may, if it considers that there is no sufficient ground for interfering, dismiss the appeal, or may—
- (a) in an appeal from an order of acquittal, reverse such order and direct that further inquiry be made, or that the accused be re-tried or committed for trial, as the case may be, or find him guilty and pass sentence on him according to law;
- (b) in an appeal from a conviction—
- (i) reverse the finding and sentence and acquit or discharge the accused, or order him to be re-tried by a Court of competent jurisdiction subordinate to such Appellate Court or committed for trial; or
- (ii) alter the finding, maintaining the sentence; or
- (iii) with or without altering the finding, alter the nature or the extent, or the nature and extent, of the sentence, but not so as to enhance the same;
- (c) in an appeal for enhancement of sentence—
- (i) reverse the finding and sentence and acquit or discharge the accused or order him to be re-tried by a Court competent to try the offence; or
- (ii) alter the finding maintaining the sentence; or
- (iii) with or without altering the finding, alter the nature or the extent, or, the nature and extent, of the sentence, so as to enhance or reduce the same;
- (d) in an appeal from any other order, alter or reverse such order;
- (e) make any amendment or any consequential or incidental order that may be just or proper:
Provided that the sentence shall not be enhanced unless the accused has had an opportunity of showing cause against such enhancement:
Provided further that the Appellate Court shall not inflict greater punishment for the offence which in its opinion the accused has committed, than might have been inflicted for that offence by the Court passing the order or sentence under appeal.
Plain English Summary
Comprehensive list of powers of an Appellate Court, including reversing acquittals, altering convictions, and enhancing sentences after due notice.
Key Legal Elements
- Power to reverse acquittal and convict
- Power to acquit a convicted person
- Alteration of finding or sentence
- Prohibition on enhancing sentence in regular appeals
- Accused's right to show cause against enhancement
- Sentence limited by Trial Court's jurisdiction
Practical Note
This section provides the Appellate Court with flexible powers to correct errors. Crucially, in a regular appeal against conviction (cl. b), the court cannot enhance the sentence; enhancement is only possible in a specific appeal for that purpose (cl. c) and after following due process by hearing the accused.
हिंदी पाठ
ऐसे रिकॉर्ड का अवलोकन करने और अपीलकर्ता या उसके अधिवक्ता को, और लोक अभियोजक को, और धारा 418 या धारा 419 के तहत अपील के मामले में अभियुक्त को सुनने के बाद, अपीलीय न्यायालय अपील को खारिज कर सकता है, या—
- (क) दोषमुक्ति के आदेश से अपील में, आदेश को उलट सकता है और आगे की जांच या पुन: विचारण का निर्देश दे सकता है, या उसे दोषी ठहराकर सजा दे सकता है;
- (ख) दोषसिद्धि से अपील में—
- (i) निष्कर्ष और सजा को उलट सकता है और अभियुक्त को बरी या उन्मुक्त कर सकता है, या पुन: विचारण का आदेश दे सकता है;
- (ii) सजा बनाए रखते हुए निष्कर्ष बदल सकता है;
- (iii) सजा की प्रकृति या सीमा बदल सकता है, लेकिन उसे बढ़ा नहीं सकता;
- (ग) सजा बढ़ाने की अपील में—
- (i) निष्कर्ष और सजा उलट सकता है;
- (ii) निष्कर्ष बनाए रखते हुए सजा बदल सकता है;
- (iii) सजा को बढ़ा या घटा सकता है;
- (घ) किसी अन्य आदेश से अपील में, उसे बदल या उलट सकता है;
- (ङ) कोई भी न्यायोचित संशोधन या परिणामी आदेश दे सकता है।
परंतु सजा तब तक नहीं बढ़ाई जाएगी जब तक कि अभियुक्त को कारण बताने का अवसर न मिल जाए:
परंतु यह भी कि अपीलीय न्यायालय उस अपराध के लिए उससे अधिक दंड नहीं देगा, जितना वह न्यायालय देने के लिए सक्षम था जिसने आदेश पारित किया था।