JUDGMENT 1. This is a rule, calling upon the District Magistrate of Faridpur and also upon the opposite party to show cause why the order of the Joint Magistrate, dated the 12th November 1907, should not be set aside. The order complained of is one dated the 12th November last and purports to be under sec. 145, Cr. P. C. It is signed with the initials "A. J. L," which we are informed are the initials of Mr. A. J. Laine, the Joint Magistrate of Faridpur. It seems to us that the learned Joint Magistrate should have signed his name in full in a judicial order made under sec. 145, Cr. P. C. He might also have noted beneath his initials his official position, because the initials "A. L. J." by themselves do not sufficiently indicate by whom or by what officer the order has been passed. 2. The ground on which this rule was issued was that the Joint Magistrate had passed the order without taking any evidence in the case at all. This appears to be so. The order recorded by him runs thus :--"Second party filed written statement. First party absent, though notice served. From the statement of the 2nd party it appears that they are in possession of the land, and as the 1st party has not appeared, he is presumably not in a position to deny it. I therefore declare the 2nd party to be in possession of the land until evicted therefrom by a lawful decree of a competent Court." 3. It appears to us that such an order is without jurisdiction. The Magistrate, under sec. 145, Cr. P. C, is required to enquire into the question of possession. He was bound to do so, after perusing the statements put in, hearing the parties and receiving the evidence produced by them respectively. We do not think he was entitled to dispose of the case in such a summary manner. In the absence of the parties, he would have been well advised to abstain from passing any order under sec. 145, Cr. P. C. We therefore make this rule absolute and set aside the order complained of.