1. From and after the passing of this Act, it shall be lawful for the Governor in Council of Bombay, by an order in writing, to authorize any Magistrate of a Zillah to issue a Commission to any person exercising the office of Patel, or charged with the administration of criminal justice within the limits of any Town, Village or Peth, in the said Presidency, empowering him to try any person charged with any of the offences hereinafter mentioned, and the said Magistrate shall forthwith issue the said Commission in accordance with such order.

2. It shall be lawful for every such Patel or other Officer, who shall have received from the Magistrate such Commission as aforesaid, to try any person charged with the offence of theft, assault, or abuse, when the value of the property stolen, or the amount of damages alleged to have been sustained, does not exceed rupees five, and also to try any person charged with the offence of resisting or refusing to obey any order of such Patel or other Officer as aforesaid. Provided always, that every charge of any such offence shall be preferred to such Patel or other Officer as aforesaid within eight days after the commission of such offence.

3. It shall the lawful for every such Patel or other Officer, who shall have received from the Magistrate such Commission as aforesaid, to order any person, convicted by him many such offence as aforesaid, to pay a fine not exceeding five rupees, or to be placed in the stocks for any period not exceeding six hours, or to be detained in the chowkey of the Town, Village, or Peth, for any period not exceeding forty-eight hours.

4. Such conviction shall be a bar to any other proceedings for the same offence.