Passed by the Governor General of India in Council, on the 15th April, 1853.
Whereas, by an Act passed in the 53rd year of the reign of King George the 3rd, it was enacted amongst other things that it should be lawful for any Native of India resident in the East Indies or parts therein mentioned, and out of the Towns of Calcutta, Madras and Bombay, in case of any assault, forcible entry, or other injury accompanied with force, not being felony, alleged to have been done against his person or property by a British subject, to complain of such assault, forcible entry, or other injury accompanied with force, not being felony, to the Magistrate of the zillah or ??? where the alleged offender should be resident, or in which such offence should been committed, and that such Magistrate should have the power and authority therein mentioned: and whereas Natives of India, resident in the East Indies, upon complaints preferred by them under the aforesaid provisions of the said Act, may be prevented from obtaining redress under the same, by reason of their inability to prove the place of their birth: and whereas it is expedient to extend the aforesaid provisions of the said Act as amended by Act IV. 1843, to cases of assaults, forcible entries, and other injuries accompanied with force, not being felonies, committed in any part of the territories under the Government of the East India Company, not being within the said Towns of Calcutta or Madras, or the Islands of Bombay and Colaba, or the settlement of Prince of Wales' Island, Singapore and Malacca, against the person or property of any person whatever, whether a Native of India or not: It is enacted as follows:
1. The provisions of the said Act of the 53rd George 3rd and of Act IV. 1843, so far as the said provisions extend to cases of assault, forcible entries, or other injuries accompanied with force, not being felonies, against the person or property of any Native of India, are hereby extended to the case of any assault, forcible entry, or other injury accompanied with force, not being felony, which may at any time hereafter be committed in any part of the territories under the Government of the East India Company, not being within the said towns of Calcutta or Madras, the said Islands of Bombay and Colaba, or the said settlement of Prince of Wales' Island, Singapore and Malacca, by any British subject or other person, against the person or property of any person whatever.
2. The powers in such cases given to the Magistrate of the zillah or district, may be lawfully exercised by any Joint Magistrate or other person lawfully exercising the powers of a Magistrate, in the case of any such offence as aforesaid, which may hereafter be committed within the district over which his authority extends.