Examination and admission or rejection of claims

(1) On receipt of the claims made under section 17, the Commissioner shall examine the claims.

(2) After examining the claims with reference to the items specified in the Schedule, the Commissioner shall fix a certain date on or before which every claimant shall file the proof of his claim.

(3) Not less than fourteen day's notice of the date so fixed shall be given by advertisement in one issue of a daily newspaper in the English language having circulation in the major part of the State of Kerala and in one issue of any daily newspaper in the Malayalam language, as the Commissioner may consider suitable, and every such notice shall call upon the claimant to file, the proof of his claim with the Commissioner within the time specified in the advertisement.

(4) Every claimant who fails to file the proof of his claim within the time specified by the Commissioner shall be excluded from the disbursements made by the Commissioner.

(5) The Commissioner shall, after such investigation as may in his opinion, be necessary and after giving the Company an opportunity of refuting the claim and after giving the claimant a reasonable opportunity of being heard, by order in writing; admit or reject the claim in whole or in part:

Provided that the Commissioner shall apportion the amount placed at his disposal in case the total admitted claims are found to be in excess of the amount placed at his disposal.