Cognizance of offences: magistrates may act on complaints, police reports or information; delegation to subordinate magistrates permitted. A first class Magistrate and a second class Magistrate when specially empowered may take cognizance of offences upon receiving a complaint of facts (including from persons authorised under special laws), upon a police report (including electronic submission), or upon information from any person other than a police officer or upon the Magistrate's own knowledge. The Chief Judicial Magistrate may empower a second class Magistrate to take cognizance of offences within that Magistrate's competence to inquire into or try.