Sale of pledge and inspection of sale book

(1) A pledge pawned for a sum exceeding two thousand rupees shall, when disposed of by the pawnbroker, be disposed of by sale by auction and not otherwise, and the sale shall be conducted in accordance with such rules as may be prescribed. (2) A pawnbroker may bid for and purchase at a sale by public auction conducted under sub-section (1), a pledge pawned with him; and on such purchase he shall become the absolute owner of the pledge. (3) At any time within three years after the public auction, the holder of the pawn-ticket may inspect the entry relating to the sale either in the pawnbroker’s book or in such catalogue of the auction as may be prescribed. (4) (a) Where on such inspection or otherwise the pledge appears to have been sold for more than the amount of the loan and the interest and charges due at the time of the sale, the pawnbroker shall pay to the holder of the pawn-ticket, on demand made within three years after the sale, the surplus after deducting therefrom the necessary costs and charges of the sale. (b) If on such demand it appears that the sale of the pledge has resulted in a surplus but that within twelve months before or after such sale, the sale of another pledge or pledges of the same person has resulted in a deficit, the pawnbroker may set off the deficit against the surplus and shall be liable to pay only the balance, if any, after such set off.