Section 3. In India, the High Courts at Madras, Bombay and Calcutta having Admiralty jurisdiction under the Let

3. In India, the High Courts at Madras, Bombay and Calcutta having Admiralty jurisdiction under the Letters patent of 1862 has been declared Prize Courts by the Naval Prize Act, 1864 and had to be commissioned in accordance with the procedure prescribed in the Prize Courts Act, 1894 before they could function as Prize Courts. The procedure laid down for the issue of a commission and functioning of the Court is inappropriate and unworkable. At the same time, it is desirable that the release or appropriation of prize is carried out properly. It is, therefore, considered necessary to enact a prize law of our own. The emergency makes the passing of this legislation a matter of utmost urgency.