(1)No court shall take cognizance of any offence punishable under this Act, save on complaint made by or under the authority of the appropriate Governmentor an officer of that Government (not below the rank of a Regional Labour Commissioner in the case of an officer of the Central Government, and not below the rank of a Labour Commissioner in the case of an officer of the State Government) specially authorised in this behalf by that Government.(2)No court inferior to that of a presidency magistrate or a magistrate of the first class shall try any offence punishable under this Act.
