Chapter II OFFICERS, THEIR POWERS, DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS

3. (1) The Government may appoint a Director to carry out the settlement operations and to perform the duties and discharge the functions assigned to him by or under this Act.

(2) The Government may appoint one or more Settlement Officers to perform the duties and discharge the functions assigned to them by or under this Act.

(3) Every Settlement Officer shall be subordinate to the Director who shall have power to cancel or revise any of the orders, acts or proceedings of the Settlement Officer.

The Director and the Settlement Officer shall, for the purposes of this Act, have the same powers as are vested in a Court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908) while trying a suit, in respect of the following matters, namely: -

(i) summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person and examining him on oath;

(ii) requiring the discovery and production of document;

(iii) receiving evidence on affidavit;

(iv) issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses or for local investigation;

and any proceeding before the Director or the Settlement Officer shall be deemed to be a judicial proceeding within the meaning of sections 193 and 228 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860) and for the purposes of section 196, of the said Code.

The Director, Settlement Officer or any of the subordinates of such officers may enter upon any land with such other officers and persons as he considers necessary and make a survey and take measurements thereof or do any other act which he considers necessary for carrying out the purposes of this Act:

Provided that no person shall enter into any land, building or upon any closed court or garden attached to a dwelling house unless with the consent of the occupier thereof, without giving such occupier at least twenty- four hours notice and in making such entry due regard shall be had to the special and religious sentiments of the occupier.