(1) The State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint for the whole State or such part or parts thereof as may be specified in that notification, an officer or officers to be known as Devdasi Prevention Officer.
(2) It shall be the duty of the Devdasi Prevention Officer
(i) to detect and prevent the contravention of, the provisions of this Act by any person in the area of his jurisdiction, by taking such action under this Act as he deems fit; and to report such cases to the concerned District Committee ;
(ii) to collect evidence for the effective prosecutions of persons contravening the provisions of this Act; and to report the same to the concerned District Committee; and
(iii) to discharge such other functions as may be assigned to him by the State Government, the Control Board and the District Committee; and to work in co-ordination with the Control Board and concerned District Committee.
(3) The State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, invest the Devdasi Prevention Officer with such powers of a Police Officer as may be specified in the notification and the Devdasi Prevention Officer shall exercise his powers subject to such limitations and conditions as may be specified in the notification.
(4) Each Devdasi Prevention Officer shall associate with the non-official members of the concerned District Committee and work in co-ordination with them.