Trial of issue on indictment by special jury

(1) If the Crown, or a person against whom an indictment is filed, desires to have the issue tried with a special jury, it or he shall, upon at least two days’ notice given to the opposite party, apply to the court by summons in chambers for an order directing that the issue between the Crown and the accused be tried with a special jury or a specially qualified jury, as the case may be, and if the court is of the opinion that having regard to the nature or complexity of the issue, that issue ought to be so tried, it shall direct the Registrar to strike and make out a panel of special jurors or specially qualified jurors, as the case may be, from the Jurors’ Book for the time being in force, consisting of such number of jurors as may be specified in the order, for the trial of the issue arising on that indictment. (2) Where the court orders the issue to be tried with a specially qualified jury, the panel of jurors shall be struck from the names appearing in the list prepared or kept under section 9(1)(b)(iv) of this Act, and the words “specially qualified jury” or “specially qualified jurors” shall be deemed to be included in the expression “special jury” or “special jurors” wherever occurring. Juries 21 (3) Section 15 (2) of this Act, shall apply mutatis mutandis in relation to the striking and making out of a panel of special jurors under this section. (4) The Registrar shall strike and make out the panel of special jurors and shall set forth thereon the number, full christian names and surname, occupation and residence of each juror on the panel as those particulars appear in the Jurors’ Book. (5) Every such panel shall, after the close of the sitting, be filed in the Registry. (6) This section shall not apply where a trial is conducted without a jury under the provisions of section 65A or section 65B of the Indictable Procedure Act, Cap. 96.