Claims by Commissioner

(3) 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. (4) 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, in writing, admit or reject the claim in whole or in part. (5) The Commissioner shall also decide any dispute as to the person or persons who are entitled to the amount and any dispute as to who are the legal representatives of any deceased claimant. (6) The Commissioner shall have the power to regulate his own procedure in all matters arising out of discharge of his functions, including the place or places at which he will hold his sitting and shall, for the purpose of making an investigation under this act, have the same powers as are vested in a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, while trying a suit, in respect of the following matters, namely:- (a) the summoning and enforcing the attendance of any witness and examining him on oath; (b) the discovery and production of any document or other material object producible as evidence; (c) the reception of evidence on affidavit; (d) the issuing of any commission or the examination of witnesses. (7) Any investigation before the Commissioner shall be deemed to be a judicial proceeding within the meaning of sections 193 and 228 of the Indian Penal Code and the Commissioner shall be deemed to be a Civil Court for the purposes of section 345 and Chapter XXVI of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. (8) A claimant, who is aggrieved by the decision of the Commissioner, may prefer an appeal against the decision to the Principal Civil Court of original jurisdiction within the local limits of whose jurisdiction the registered office of the Company is situated.