Settlement of agricultural disputes

(1) Where an agricultural dispute exists or is apprehended, the Conciliation Officer may hold conciliation proceedings and shall, for the purpose of bringing about a settlement of the dispute, without delay investigate the same and all matters affecting the merits and the right settlement thereof and may do all such things, as he thinks fit, for the purpose of inducing the parties to come to a fair and amicable settlement of the dispute. (2) If a settlement of the dispute or of any of the matters in dispute is arrived at in the course of conciliation proceedings, the Conciliation Officer shall send a report thereof to the District Labour Officer together with a memorandum of settlement signed by the parties to the dispute. (3) If no such settlement is arrived at the Conciliation Officer shall as soon as practicable after the close of the investigation, send to the District Collector through the District Labour Officer a full report setting forth the steps taken by him for ascertaining the facts and circumstances relating to the dispute and for bringing about a settlement thereof, together with a full statement of such facts and circumstances, and the reasons on account of which, in his opinion, a settlement could not be arrived at: Provided that in a case where the agricultural dispute relates to an agricultural land situate within the local limits of more than one revenue district, the Conciliation Officer shall send the report to the District Collector in whose jurisdiction the major portion of such land is situate.