(1) The Chairman of the Special Court may appoint officers and other employees required to assist the Special Court in the discharge of its functions under this Act.
(2) The categories of officers and employees who may be appointed under subsection (1), their salaries, allowances and other conditions of service and the administrative powers of the Chairman of the Special Court shall be such as may be prescribed, after consultation with the Chairman.]
11. Power to try offences- Notwithstanding anything in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, every offence punishable under this Act shall be tried by a Magistrate of the First Class, specially empowered by the Government in this behalf.
12. Sanction for prosecution of offence under the Act- 1[No Court other than the Special Court] shall take cognizance of an offence, punishable under this Act, except with the previous sanction of the 1[Special Tribunal], which sanction shall be accorded having regard to the circumstances of each case.
13. Persons acting under the Act to be public servants- Any person acting under this Act shall be deemed to be a public servant within the meaning of section 21 of the Indian Penal Code.
14. Protection of persons acting in good faith- No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall lie against [any officer or employee of the Special Court] 2any officer of the Government for anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done under this Act or the rules made thereunder.
15. Act to override other laws- The provisions of this Act shall have effect notwithstanding anything inconsistent therewith contained in any other law for the time being in force or custom, usage or agreement or decree or order of a court or any other tribunal or authority.
16. Power to make rules- (1) The Government may, by notification, make rules for carrying out all or any of the purposes of this Act.
(2) Every rule made under this section shall, immediately after it is made, be laid before each House of the State Legislature if it is in session and if it is not in session, in the session immediately following, for a total period of fourteen days which may be comprised in one session, or in two successive sessions and if before the expiration of the session in which it is so laid or the session immediately following both Houses agree in making any modification in 1 . Substituted by Act No 16 of 1987, s 8.
2 . Substituted by Act No 16 of 1987, s 9.
the rule or in the annulment of the rule, the rule shall, from the date on which the modification or annulment is notified, have effect only in such modified form or shall stand annulled, as the case may be; so however, that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previous done under that rule.
17. Prohibition of alienation of lands grabbed- Any transaction relating to an alienation of a land grabbed or any part thereof by way of sale, lease, gift, exchange, settlement, surrender, usufructuary mortgage or otherwise, or any partition effected or a trust created in respect of such land, which has taken place 1[whether before or after] the commencement of this Act shall, except to the extent ordered by the 3[Special Tribunal], be null and void.
[17A. Review: - The Special Court may in order to prevent the miscarriage of justice review its judgment or order passed under Section 8 but no such review shall be entertained except on the ground that it was passed under a mistake of fact, ignorance of any material fact or an error apparent on the face of the record:]
Provided that it shall be lawful for the Special Court to admit or reject review petitions in circulation without hearing the petitioner:
Provided further that the Special Court shall not allow any review petition and set aside its previous order or judgment without hearing the parties affected.]