(1) The Authority shall be guided by the principles of natural justice.
(2) The Authority shall have, for the purpose of discharging their functions under this Chapter, the same powers as arc vested in a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 in respect of the following matters, namely:—
(a) summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person and examining him on oath;
(b) requiring the discovery and production of documents;
(c) receiving evidence on affidavits;
(d) issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses or documents;
(e) reviewing its decisions;
(f) dismissing an application for default or deciding it ex parte;
(g) setting aside any order of dismissal of any application for default or any order passed by it ex pane;
(h) any other matter which may be prescribed.
5 of 1908.
(3) Every proceeding before the Authority shall be deemed to be a judicial proceeding within the meaning of sections 193 and 228, and for the purpose of section 196 of the Indian Penal Code and the Authority shall be deemed to be a civil court for all the purposes of section 195 and Chapter XXVI of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.
45 of 1860.
2 of 1974.
Right to legal representation.
17. The applicant may either appear in person or authorise one or more legal practitioners or any of its officers to present his or its case before the Authority.
Appeal to High Court.
18. Any person aggrieved by any decision or order of the Authority may file an appeal to the High Court within thirty days from the date of communication of the decision or order of the Authority to him:
Provided that the High Court may, if it is satisfied that the appellant was prevented by sufficient cause from filing the appeal within the said period, allow it to be filed within a further period not exceeding sixty days.
Orders passed by Authority or High Court to be executable as a degree,
19. Every order made by the Authority under this Ordinance or the order made by the High Court in any appeal against any order of the Authority shall, on a certificate issued by any officer of the Authority or the Registrar of the High Court, as the case may be, be deemed to be a degree of the civil court and shall be executable in the same manner as a decree of that court.
SEC. 1 ] THE GAZETTE OF INDIA EXTRAORDINARY 9
20. If any person wilfully falls to comply with the orders of the Authority or any order of the High Court, as the case may be, he shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years, or fine, or with both.
Penalty for wilful failure to comply with orders of Authority or of High Court.
CHAPTER V FINANCE, ACCOUNTS AND AUDIT
21. The Central Government may, after due appropriation made by Parliament by law in this behalf, make to the Authority grants of such sums of money as that Government may think fit for being utilised for the purposes of this Ordinance.