Section 17 in The Evacuee Interest (Separation) Act, 1951
17. Powers and procedure of competent officers and appellate officers.
(1)A competent officer or an appellate officer shall, for the purpose of holding any inquiry or hearing any appeal under this Act, have the same powers as are vested in a Civil Court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908 ), when trying a suit in respect of the following matters, namely:-(a)summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person and examining him on oath;(b)requiring the discovery and production of documents;(c)issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses;(d)any other matter which may be prescribed; and any proceeding before the competent officer or the appellate officer shall be deemed to be a judicial proceeding within the meaning of section 193 and 228 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860 ), and the competentofficer or the appellate officer shall be deemed to be a Civil Court within the meaning of sections 480 and 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (5 of 1898 ).(2)An appellate officer shall, subject to the provisions of this Act, have such further powers as are vested in a Court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908 ), when hearing an appeal.(3)Subject to any rules made in this behalf, the competent officer and appellate officer shall follow the same procedure as a Civil Court does in regard to civil suits including recording of evidence and the provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908 ) shall, as far as may be, apply to such proceedings.
