Collector to do everything for the due administration

(1) Subject to the provisions of any rules that may be made in this behalf, the Collector may take such measures as he considers necessary or expedient for the purpose of securing, administering, possessing and managing any sthanam property and generally for the purpose of enabling him satisfactorily to discharge any of the duties imposed on him by or under this Act, and may, for any such purposes aforesaid, do all acts and incur all expenses necessary or incidental thereto. Without prejudice to the generality of the provisions contained in sub-section (1), the Collector may, for any of the purposes aforesaid,- (a) appoint any officer who is not below the rank of a Revenue Divisional Officer or a person who is qualified to be appointed as a Munsiff as manager for the sthanam properties and authorize the manager to exercise the powers of the Collector under this section, subject to the approval of the Board of Revenue. In making appointment connected with the maintenance and management of the estate, the Collector shall, as far as possible, try to absorb the existing staff and other employees under the sthanam and if, for any reason, any retrenchment becomes necessary, compensation may be paid to them consistent with the nature of service, conditions of employment and financial position of the estate; (b)enter, or authorize any either person to enter any land or premises to inspect any sthanam property; (c)take all such measures as may be necessary to keep any sthanam property in good repair; (d)complete any building which requires to be completed; (e)require any person to furnish such returns, accounts or other information in relation to any property and to produce such documents in his possession as the Collector considers necessary for the discharge of his duties under this Act; (f)search any building or place in which the collector after such enquiry as he deems fit to make has reason to believe that any sthanam property is being kept or concealed, and take possession thereof; (g)take such action as may be necessary for the recovery of any debt due to the sthanam; (h)institute, defend or continue any legal proceeding in any civil or revenue court on behalf of the sthanam or refer any dispute to arbitration or compromise any claims, debts, or liabilities on behalf of the sthanam; (i)raise on the security of the sthanam property such loans as may be necessary; (j)incur any expenditure, including the payment of taxes, duties, cesses; and rate to Government or to any local authority or for the discharge of any liabilities which are legally enforceable; (k)make interim payments on a written request by a member or her entitled to share of the sthanam property, at a rate not exceeding Rs. 100 per mensem and adjust such payments against the share of such member or heir; and (l)invest money in any of the securities referred to in Section 20 of the Indian Trust Act, 1882. (3) (i) It shall be lawful for the Collector who is in management of any sthanam, if a request is made in writing by the majority of the major members composed of the members of the family of the sthanamdar and his heirs, to take all necessary steps to effect the division of the sthanam properties among the members of the family and heirs and the division effected by the collector shall operate, as if it were an award under the Arbitration Act, 1940 (Central Act X of 1940) subject to right of appeal to the High Court. (ii) Court fee shall be payable for the division as on a suit for partition before a competent court. It shall be first charge on the shares of every member of the family of the sthanamdar and his heirs. (4)When a petition for division is pending before the collector under sub-section (3), no court shall entertain a suit for partition of the sthanam property.