Cognizance of contravention of the provisions of the Act or orders made thereunder

(1) No court shall take cognizance of any alleged contravention of the provisions of this Act or of any order made thereunder, except on a report in writing of the facts constituting such contravention made by a public servant.

(2) Proceedings in respect of a contravention of the provisions of this Act alleged to have been committed by any person may be taken before the appropriate Court having jurisdiction in the place where that person is for the time being.

(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in Schedule II to the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 a contravention of the provisions of section 17 shall be triable by a Judicial Magistrate of the first class.

(4) Any Judicial Magistrate of first class empowered for the time being to try in a summary way the offences specified in sub-section (1) of section 260 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 may, if such Magistrate thinks fit, on application in this behalf being made by the prosecution, try a contravention of any such provisions of this Act or orders made thereunder as the State Government may, by order published in the Official Gazette, specify in this behalf in accordance with the provisions contained in section 262 to 265 of the said Code.