Powers of adjudicating officer and Appellate Board in relation to holding enquiry under this Act

(1) The adjudicating officer and the Appellate Board shall, while holding an enquiry, have all the powers of a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (Central Act 5 of 1908), while trying a suit, in respect of the following matters, namely:-(a) summoning and enforcing the attendance of witnesses; (b) requiring the discovery and production of any document; (c) requisitioning any public record or copy thereof from any court or office; (d) receiving evidence on affidavits; and (e) issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses or documents. (2) The adjudicating officer or the Appellate Board shall, while exercising any power under this Act, be deemed to be a Civil court for the purposes of sections 345 and 346 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (Central Act 2 of 1974).