Constitution of State Welfare Boards

(1) Every State Government shall, with effect from such date as it may, by notification, appoint, constitute a Board to be known as the …… (name of the State) Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board to exercise the powers conferred on, and perform the functions assigned to, it under this Act. (2) The Board shall be a body corporate by the name aforesaid, having perpetual succession and a common seal and shall by the said name sue and be sued. (3) The Board shall consist of a chairperson, a person to be nominated by the Central Government and such number of other members, not exceeding fifteen, as may be appointed to it by the State Government: Provided that the Board shall include an equal number of members representing the State Government, the employers and the building workers and that at least one member of the Board shall be a woman. (4) The terms and conditions of appointment and the salaries and other allowances payable to the chairperson and the other members of the Board, and the manner of filling of casual vacancies of the members of the Board, shall be such as may be prescribed. (2) A penalty under sub-section (1) may be imposed— (a) by the Director-General where the contravention or failure relates to a matter to which the appropriate Government is the Central Government; and (b) by the Chief Inspector where the contravention or failure relates to a matter to which the appropriate Government is the State Government. (3) No penalty shall be imposed unless the person concerned is given a notice in writing— (a) informing him of the grounds on which it is proposed to impose a penalty; and (b) giving him a reasonable opportunity of making a representation in writing within such reasonable time as may be specified in the notice against the imposition of penalty mentioned therein, and, if he so desires, of being heard in the matter. (4) Without prejudice to any other provision contained in this Act, the Director-General and the Chief Inspector shall have all the powers of a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908), while exercising any powers under this section, in respect of the following matters, namely:— (a) summoning and enforcing the attendance of witnesses; (b) requiring the discovery and production of any document; (c) requisitioning any public record or copy thereof from any court or office; (d) receiving evidence on affidavits; and (e) issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses or documents. (5) Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to prevent the person concerned from being prosecuted under any other provision of this Act or any other law for any offence made punishable by this Act or by that other law, as the case may be, or for being liable under this Act or any such law to any other or higher penalty or punishment than is provided for such offence by this section: Provided that no person shall be punished twice for the same offence.