Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023
Section 526
Practising advocate not to sit as Magistrate in certain Courts
No advocate who practices in the Court of any Magistrate shall sit as a Magistrate in that Court or in any Court within the local jurisdiction of that Court.
Why this exists
Allowing a practising advocate to also judge cases in the same court where they appear as a lawyer creates an obvious conflict of interest and risks favouritism or the appearance of it. This section keeps the roles of advocate and judge cleanly separated within the same local jurisdiction, preserving public confidence in impartial justice. It continues a rule from the earlier Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (as section 480).