Awarding compensation to people suffering from misconduct of inhabitants or persons interested in land.

(1) If, in any area in respect of which a proclamation under the preceding section is in force there be caused death or grievous hurt or loss or any damage to property on account of the misconduct of the inhabitants of such area or of any class or section thereof, every inhabitant of the area claiming damages for injury on account of such misconduct shall have the power to make, within one month from the date of the injury or within such shorter period as may be fixed in this behalf, an application for damages to the District Magistrate or Sub-Divisional Magistrate of such area.

(2) On submission of such application the Court of District Magistrate shall, after such enquiry as it may deem necessary, whether an additional police force has or has not been posted in such area, have the power to,-

(a) determine the persons who have suffered injury on account of such misconduct;

(b) determine the amount which shall be paid to such persons as damages and also the manner in which the amount shall be distributed among those persons;

(c) determine the proportionate share according to which the amount of compensation shall be paid by the inhabitants of such area other than the applicant who have not been exempted from the liability of its payment under sub-section (3):

Provided that the Court of the District Magistrate shall make no order under this sub-section unless it is of opinion that the injury caused had been on account of a riot or unlawful assembly in such area, and the person injured was in no way guilty in respect of the riot or unlawful assembly.

(3) The Government may, by order, exempt any person or class or section of such inhabitants from liability of paying the damages.

(4) An appeal against the order passed under sub-section (2) shall lie in the High Court.

(5) Where damage for an injury has been awarded under this section a claim therefor shall not be made in a Civil Court.

Explanation:- In this section “inhabitants” shall have the meaning assigned thereto in section 13.