Power to take evidence on oath, etc.

The record officer or the appellate authority or the District Collector or the officer referred to in section 7 shall, for the purposes of this Act, have the same powers as are vested in a court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (Central Act V of 1908) when trying a suit in respect of the following matters, namely:-- (a) enforcing the attendance of any person and examining him on oath; (b) requiring the discovery and production of documents; (c) receiving evidence on affidavit; (d) issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses; and any proceeding before the record officer or the appellate authority or the District Collector shall be deemed to be a judicial proceeding within the meaning of sections 193 and 228, and for the purposes of section 196, of the Indian Penal Code (Central Act XLV of 1860).