(1) A small farmer may, within such time and in such manner as may be prescribed, make an application to an authority for the local area within which such small farmer ordinarily resides, for determination of this debt.
(2) Unless the small farmer has already made an application under sub-section (1) any of his creditors may also make an application to the same authority to which, and in the same manner in which, the small farmer might have applied under that sub-section for determination of the debt in question.
(3) If application are made to more than one authority in respect or the same debt, such applications shall, subject to such rules as may be made in this behalf be transferred to and deal with by one authority.
(4) An application under sub-section (1) or under sub-section (2) shall be in writing in the prescribed form and shall be accompanied by such fee as may be prescribed.