Proof of entries in market committee's or Board's registers, etc

(1) A copy of any entry in any book, register or list regularly kept in the course of its business by a market committee or the Board shall, if duly certified in such manner as may be prescribed, be received in any suit or other legal proceeding as prima facie evidence of the existence of such entry, and shall be admitted as evidence of the matters, transactions and accounts therein recorded in every case where, and to the same extent to which, the original entry would, if produced, have been admissible to prove such matter, transactions or accounts. (2) No officer of a market committee or the Board shall, in any legal proceeding to which the committee or the Board is not a party, be compelled to produce any of the committee's or Board's books the contents of which can be proved under sub-section (1), or to appear as a witness to prove the matters, transactions or accounts therein recorded, unless by order of the court or other authority made for special cause. (3) (a) On the application of any party to a legal proceeding, the court or other authority may order that such party may inspect and take copies of any entries in a market committee's or Board's book for any of the purposes of such proceeding, or may order the committee or the Board, as the case may be, to prepare and produce, within a time to be specified in the order, certified copies of all such entries accompanied by a further certificate that no other entries are to be found in the books of the committee or Board relevant to the matters in issue in such proceeding and such further certificate shall be dated and subscribed in the manner prescribed for certified copies under sub-section (1). (b) An order under this sub-section or sub-section (2), may be made either with or without summoning the committee or Board, and shall be served on the committee or the Board three clear days exclusive of public holidays before the same is to be complied with, unless the court or other authority shall otherwise direct. (c) The Committee or the Board may at any time before the time specified for compliance of any such order either offer to produce its books at the trial or give notice of its intention to show cause against such order, and thereupon the same shall not be enforced without further orders.

1. (2) No officer of a market committee or the Board shall, in any legal proceeding to which the committee or the Board is not a party, be compelled to produce any of the committee's or Board's books the contents of which can be proved under sub-section (1), or to appear as a witness to prove the matters, transactions or accounts therein recorded, unless by order of the court or other authority made for special cause.
2. (3) (a) On the application of any party to a legal proceeding, the court or other authority may order that such party may inspect and take copies of any entries in a market committee's or Board's book for any of the purposes of such proceeding, or may order the committee or the Board, as the case may be, to prepare and produce, within a time to be specified in the order, certified copies of all such entries accompanied by a further certificate that no other entries are to be found in the books of the committee or Board relevant to the matters in issue in such proceeding and such further certificate shall be dated and subscribed in the manner prescribed for certified copies under sub-section (1).
   • (b) An order under this sub-section or sub-section (2), may be made either with or without summoning the committee or Board, and shall be served on the committee or the Board three clear days exclusive of public holidays before the same is to be complied with, unless the court or other authority shall otherwise direct.
   • (c) The Committee or the Board may at any time before the time specified for compliance of any such order either offer to produce its books at the trial or give notice of its intention to show cause against such order, and thereupon the same

shall not be enforced without further orders.