(1) The attendance of an officer to watch the civil trial of an officer or a sailor in India shall be at the discretion of the accused’s Commanding Officer, who shall consider the gravity of the charge, the distance from the ship to the court and the exigencies of the service.
(2) If called upon by the court to testify to the character and antecedents of the accused, the officer who attends shall not give information of minor offences against the discipline of the Service unless specially required by the court to do so, nor shall he take a sailor’s promotion and Conduct Record Sheet with him to the court, since the nature of such offences and the contents of the said sheet are liable to be misunder-stood to the prejudice of the accused.
(3) If the accused be committed for trial, the officer watching the case shall mention to the accused the desirability of asking the court whether he is not entitled to bail or, if not entitled, whether he may not have bail.