(1)For any petty sessions area there shall be a chairman and one or more deputy chairmen of the justices chosen from amongst themselves by the magistrates for the area; and any contested election for the purpose of this section shall be held by secret ballot.
(2)Subject to subsections (3) and (4) below, if the chairman or a deputy chairman of the justices for a petty sessions area is present at a meeting of those justices, he shall preside unless he requests another justice to preside in accordance with rules made under section 24 below.
(3)Subsection (2) above does not confer on any chairman or deputy chairman of the justices the right to preside in court if, under rules made under section 24 below, he is ineligible to preside in court.
(4)Subsection (2) above does not confer on any chairman or deputy chairman of the justices the right to preside—
(a)in a youth court or family proceedings court;
(b)at meetings of a committee or other body of justices having its own chairman; or
(c)at meetings when any stipendiary magistrate is engaged as such in administering justice.
(5)A metropolitan stipendiary magistrate who is by virtue of his office a justice of the peace for any area mentioned in section 16(4) above shall not, by reason only of his being a justice of the peace for that area by virtue of that office, be qualified—
(a)to be chosen under subsection (1) above as chairman or deputy chairman of the justices for a petty sessional division of that area; or
(b)to vote under that subsection at the election of any such chairman or deputy chairman.