Tribunal

-1 16B. Tribunal.—

1. (1) The State Government may, by notification, constitute, as and when necessary, a Tribunal for the purpose of section 16-A, consisting of one person, to be appointed by the State Government : Provided that no person shall be so appointed unless he is a Judge of the High Court.
2. (2) If, for any reason, a vacancy (other than a temporary vacancy) occurs in the office of the presiding officer of the Tribunal, then, the State Government shall appoint another person in accordance with the provisions of this section to fill the vacancy and the proceedings may be continued before the Tribunal from the stage at which the vacancy is filled,
3. (3) The State Government shall make available to the Tribunal such staff as may be necessary for the discharge of its functions under this Act.
4. (4) All expenses incurred in connection with the Tribunal shall be defrayed out of the Consolidated Fund of the State.
5. (5) The Tribunal shall have power to regulate its own procedure in all matters arising out of the discharge of its functions including the place or places at which it will hold its sittings.
6. (6) The Tribunal shall, for the purpose of appeal, have the same powers as are vested in a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (Central Act V of 1908) 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 affidavits;
   • (d) the requisitioning of any public record from any court or office;
   • (e) the issuing of any commission for the examination of witnesses.
7. (7) Any proceeding before the Tribunal shall be deemed to be a judicial proceeding within the meaning of sections 193 and 228 of the Indian Penal Code (Central Act XLV of 1860) and the Tribunal shall be deemed to be a civil court for the purposes of section 195 and Chapter XXVI of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (Central Act 2 of 1974).