Section 2 — Definitions.

2. Definitions.— In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,— 

(a) “Gram Nyayalaya” means a court established under sub-section (1) of section 3;  

(b) “Gram Panchayat” means an institution (by whatever name called) of self-government 

constituted, at the village level, under article 243B of the Constitution, for the rural areas; 

(c) “High Court” means,— 

(i) in relation to any State, the High Court for that State; 

(ii) in relation to a Union territory to which the jurisdiction of the High Court for a State has 

been extended by law, that High Court; 

(iii) in relation to any other Union territory, the highest Court of criminal appeal for that 

territory other than the Supreme Court of India;  

(d) “notification” means a notification published in the Official Gazette and the expression 

“notified” shall be construed accordingly; 

(e) “Nyayadhikari” means the presiding officer of a Gram Nyayalaya appointed under section 5; 

(f) “Panchayat at intermediate level” means an institution (by whatever name called) of self-

government constituted, at the intermediate level, under article 243B of the Constitution, for the rural 

areas in accordance with the provisions of Part IX of the Constitution; 

(g) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act; 

(h) “Schedule” means the Schedule appended to this Act; 

                                                           
1. The words “the State of Jammu and Kashmir” omitted by Act 34 of 2019, s. 95 and the Fifth Schedule                         

(w.e.f. 31-10- 2019). 
2. 2nd October, 2009, vide notification No. S.O. 2313(E), dated 11th November, 2009, see Gazette of India,       

Extraordinary, Part II, sec. 3(ii). 



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(i) “State Government”, in relation to a Union territory, means the administrator thereof 

appointed under article 239 of the Constitution; 

(j) words and expressions used herein and not defined but defined in the Code of Civil Procedure, 

1908 (5 of 1908) or the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974) shall have the meanings 

respectively assigned to them in those Codes. 

CHAPTER II 

GRAM NYAYALAYA