For how much term maximum Judicial Magistrate of the First class may pass a sentence for a single offence?

Solution (By Examveda Team)

Correct Answer: Option C: Three years

According to Section 29(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), 1973, a Judicial Magistrate of the First Class (JMFC) may pass a sentence of imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years for a single offence.

This provision is clear and has not been amended to increase the imprisonment limit beyond three years at the central level.

While some states (e.g., Maharashtra) have amended the fine limit that a JMFC can impose, no state has increased the maximum term of imprisonment beyond three years.

The newly enacted Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, which replaces the CrPC, also retains this three-year maximum imprisonment limit for JMFCs.

Option A (Five years), Option B (Four years), and Option D (Two years) are incorrect as they either exceed or fall short of the actual legal limit.

Therefore, based on the central CrPC and current legal framework, the correct answer is Option C: Three years.