(1 ) The National Commission, the State Commission and the District Forum shall have power to require any person,—
(a) to produce before, and allow to be examined and kept by an officer of the National Commission, the State Commission or the District Forum, as the case may be, specified in this behalf, such books, accounts, documents or commodities in the custody or under the control of the person so required as may be specified or described in the requisition, if the examination of such books, accounts, documents or commodities are required for the purpose of this Act;
(b) to furnish to an officer so specified, such information as may be required for the purpose of this Act.
(2)(a) Where during any proceedings under this Act, the National Commission, the State Commission or the District Forum, as the case may be, has any ground to believe that any book, paper, commodity or document which may be required to be produced in such proceedings, are being or may be, destroyed, mutilated, altered, falsified or secreted, it may, by written order, authorise any officer to exercise the power of entry and search of any premises. Such authorised officer may also seize such books, papers, documents or commodities as are required for the purpose of this Act:
Provided that such seizure shall be communicated to the National Commission, the State Commission or the District Forum, as the case may be, as soon as it is made or within a period not exceeding 72 hours of making such seizure after specifying the reasons in writing for making such seizure.
(b) The National Commission, the State Commission or the District Forum, as the case may be, on examination of such seized documents or commodities, as the case may be, may order the retention thereof or may return it to the party concerned.
10A. Credit of the fine into the Consumer Welfare Fund when consumers are not identified conveniently-
(1) Where an order is passed by the National Commission in exercise of the powers vested under clause
(hb) of sub-section (1) of section 14 directing the opposite party to pay such amount as determined by it on account of loss or injury suffered due to defects in goods complained gains or alleged deficiency of service to a large number of consumers, who are not identifiable conveniently, such sum shall be credited by the National Commission in the Consumer Welfare Fund established by the Central Government under section 12 (C) of the Central Excise Act, '1944 (1 of 1944).
(2) Any amount credited to the said Fund shall be utilized in accordance with the provisions of the Consumer Welfare Fund Rules, 1992.
10B Number of Members in the National Commission: - The National Commission shall consist of not less than four members and not more than nine members and at least one of them shall be a woman.