Maintenance of list of Panchas

(1) If the Commissioner of Police or the District Superintendent of Police, as the case may be, considers that in any gram, nagar, municipal borough or city, or in any locality thereof it is necessary to have a list of local persons liable to serve as pancha witnesses for searches made and for such other purposes connected with the investigation of offences under this Act, the Commissioner of Police or the District Superintendent of Police, as the case may be, may request the gram panchayat, the nagar panchayat, the municipality, or the municipal corporation, of such gram, nagar, municipal borough or city respectively to prepare and maintain such list for such gram, nagar, municipal borough, city or any locality thereof, and thereupon it shall be the duty of such panchayat, municipality or municipal corporation to prepare and maintain such list. (2) The State Government shall, by rules, prescribe the age and qualifications of persons who may be considered suitable for being included in any such list, the procedure for preparing, publishing and maintaining such list and the period for preparing, publishing and maintaining such list and the period for which such list shall remain in force. (3) Every person whose name is included in such list shall, when so required by a prohibition officer or a police officer, be bound to serve as a pancha witness.