Chapter V VIGILANCE COMMITTEES

(1) Every State Government shall, by notification in the Official Gazette, constitute such number of Vigilance Committees in each district and each Sub-Division as it may think fit. (2) Each Vigilance Committee, constituted for a district, shall consist of the following members, namely:-- (a) the District Magistrate, or a person nominated by him, who shall be the Chairman; (b) three persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes and residing in the district, to be nominated by the District Magistrate; (c) two social workers, resident in the district, to be nominated by the District Magistrate; (d) not more than three persons to represent the official or non-official agencies in the district connected with rural development, to be nominated by the State Government; (e) one person to represent the financial and credit institutions in the district, to be nominated by the District Magistrate. (3) Each Vigilance Committee, constituted for a Sub-Division, shall consist of the following members, namely:-- (a) the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, or a person nominated by him, who shall be the Chairman; (b) three persons belonging to the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes and residing in the Sub-Division, to be nominated by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate; (c) two social workers, resident in the Sub-Division, to be nominated by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate; (d) not more than three persons to represent the official or non-official agencies in the Sub-Division connected with rural development to be nominated by the District Magistrate; (e) one person to represent the financial and credit institutions in the Sub-Division, to be nominated by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate; (f) one officer specified under section 10 and functioning in the Sub-Division. (4) Each Vigilance Committee shall regulate its own procedure and secretarial assistance, as may be necessary, shall be provided by-- (a) the District Magistrate, in the case of a Vigilance Committee constituted for the district; (b) the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, in the case of a Vigilance Committee constituted for the Sub-Division. (5) No proceeding of a Vigilance Committee shall be invalid merely by reason of any defect in the constitution, or in the proceedings, of the Vigilance Committee.

(1) The functions of each Vigilance Committee shall be,-- (a) to advise the District Magistrate or any officer authorized by him as to the efforts made, and action taken, to ensure that the provisions of this Act or of any rule made thereunder are properly implemented; (b) to provide for the economic and social rehabilitation of the freed bonded labourers; (c) to co-ordinate the functions of rural banks and co-operative societies with a view to canalizing adequate credit to the freed bonded labourer; (d) to keep an eye on the number of offences of which cognizance has been taken under this Act; (e) to make a survey as to whether there is any offence of which cognizance ought to be taken under this Act; (f) to defend any suit instituted against a freed bonded labourer or a member of his family or any other person dependent on him for the recovery of the whole or part of any bonded debt or any other debt which is claimed by such person to be bonded debt. (2) A Vigilance Committee may authorize one of its members to defend a suit against a freed bonded labourer and the member so authorized shall be deemed, for the purpose of such suit, to be the authorized agent of the freed bonded labourer.

Whenever any debt is claimed by a bonded labourer, or a Vigilance Committee, to be a bonded debt, the burden of proof that such debt is not a bonded debt shall lie on the creditor.