(1) When under the rules of any Government or Railway Provident Fund the sum standing to the credit of any subscriber or depositor, or the balance thereof after the making of any deduction authorised by this Act, has become payable, the officer whose duty is to make the payment shall pay the sum or balance, as the case may be, to the subscriber or depositor, or, if he is dead, shall--
(a) if the sum or balance, or, any part thereof, vests in a dependant under the provisions of section 3, pay the same to the dependant or to such person as may be authorised by law to receive payment on his behalf; or
(b) if the whole sum or balance, as the case may be, does not exceed five thousand rupees, pay the same, or any part thereof, which is not payable under clause ( a), to any person nominated to receive it under the rules of the Fund, or, if no person is so nominated, to any person appearing to him to be otherwise entitled to receive it; or
(c) in the case of any sum or balance, or any part thereof, which is not payable to any person under clause (a) or clause (b) pay the same,--
(i) to any person nominated to receive it under the rules of the Fund, on production by such person of probate or letters of administration evidencing the grant to him of administration to the estate of the deceased or a certificate granted under the Succession Certificate Act, 1889 (7 of 1889), or under the Bombay Regulation VIII of 1827, entitling the holder thereof to receive payment of such sum, balance or part, or
(ii) where no person is so nominated, to any person who produces such probate, letters or certificate:
Provided that, where the whole or any part of any sum standing to the credit of the subscriber or depositor has been assigned to any other person before the commencement of this Act, and notice in writing of the assignment has been received by t he officer from the assignee, the officer shall, after making any deduction authorised by this Act and any payment due under clause (a) to or on behalf of the widow or children of the subscriber or depositor--
(i) if the subscriber or depositor or, if he is dead, the person to whom in the absence of any valid assignment the sum or balance would be payable under this sub -section gives his consent in writing, pay the sum or part or the balance thereof, as the case may be, to the assignee, or
(ii) if such consent is not forthcoming, withhold payment of the sum, part or balance, as the case may be, pending a decision of a competent Civil Court as to the person entitled to receive it.
(2) The making of any payment authorised by sub-section (1) shall be a full discharge to the Government or the railway administration, as the case may be, from all liability in respect of so much of the sum standing to the credit of the subscriber or depositor as is equivalent to the amount so paid.