(1) The judgment in every trial in any Criminal Court or original jurisdiction shall
be pronounced in open Court by the presiding officer immediately after the termination of
the trial or at some subsequent time not later than forty-five days of which notice shall be
given to the parties or their advocates,—
(a) by delivering the whole of the judgment; or
(b) by reading out the whole of the judgment; or
(c) by reading out the operative part of the judgment and explaining the substance
of the judgment in a language which is understood by the accused or his advocate.
(2) Where the judgment is delivered under clause (a) of sub-section (1), the presiding
officer shall cause it to be taken down in short-hand, sign the transcript and every page
thereof as soon as it is made ready, and write on it the date of the delivery of the judgment
in open Court.
(3) Where the judgment or the operative part thereof is read out under clause (b) or
clause (c) of sub-section (1), as the case may be, it shall be dated and signed by the
presiding officer in open Court, and if it is not written with his own hand, every page of the
judgment shall be signed by him.
(4) Where the judgment is pronounced in the manner specified in clause (c) of
sub-section (1), the whole judgment or a copy thereof shall be immediately made available
for the perusal of the parties or their advocates free of cost:
Provided that the Court shall, as far as practicable, upload the copy of the judgment
on its portal within a period of seven days from the date of judgment.
(5) If the accused is in custody, he shall be brought up to hear the judgment pronounced
either in person or through audio-video electronic means.
(6) If the accused is not in custody, he shall be required by the Court to attend to hear
the judgment pronounced, except where his personal attendance during the trial has been
dispensed with and the sentence is one of fine only or he is acquitted:
Provided that where there are more accused persons than one, and one or more of
them do not attend the Court on the date on which the judgment is to be pronounced, the
presiding officer may, in order to avoid undue delay in the disposal of the case, pronounce
the judgment notwithstanding their absence.
(7) No judgment delivered by any Criminal Court shall be deemed to be invalid by
reason only of the absence of any party or his advocate on the day or from the place
notified for the delivery thereof, or of any omission to serve, or defect in serving, on the
parties or their advocates, or any of them, the notice of such day and place.
(8) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit in any way the extent of the
provisions of section 513.
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