( I) The compensatiOn officer shall be deemed to be a publ1c srnant '~ 1thm the meaning of sectwn 21 of the lnd1an Penal Code (Central Act 45 of 1860).
31. Powers of Board of Revenue etc., to summon and examine witnesses,-The Board of Revenue, the D1slliCt Collector and the compensatiOn officer shall, for the purposes of thh Act, have all the powers of civ1l court when tryJ11g a su1t under the Code of C1vd Procedure, 1908 (Central Act 5 of 1908) In respect of the following matters, namely :--
(a) summoning and enforcing, the attenddnce of any person and cxaminmg htm on Oath;
(b) requiring the discovery and production of any document ;
(c) receiving evidence on affidav1t, and
(d) requiSltJOnmg any pubhc record or copy the1eof from any court or office.