15. Power of tribunal to join parties and award costs.
(1)In disposing of any matter in which it has jurisdiction a tribunal may order any dispute arising therefrom to be dealt with in one proceeding separately or more such disputes than one to be dealt with in one proceeding, and may, by public advertisement or otherwise, enquire if any person desires to be made a party to any proceeding, and may join in any proceeding any person who it considers ought to be made a party thereto.(2)The tribunal may order any person to submit within a fixed time a statement in writing setting forth the nature of this claim or objection and the grounds thereof.(3)If any person fails to comply with an order passed under the provisions of sub-section (2) and duly notified to him, the tribunal may decide the matter in dispute against him, provided that the tribunal may at any time extend the time fixed by its order for the submission of the statement if the person satisfies it that he had sufficient cause for not submitting the statement within the time fixed.(4)A tribunal may pass any such order as to costs of a proceeding as a court might pass under the provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908.
