The offence under section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 is to be tried by:

Section 142(c) barred a court inferior to a Metropolitan Magistrate or Judicial Magistrate First Class from trying section 138 offences. Section 143(1), effective 6 February 2003, specifically provides for trial by those magistrates, ordinarily using summary procedure. Executive and second-class magistrates are not the specified trial courts.