- The officer to whom an application is made under this Chapter may himself inquire into the application or depute an officer subordinate to him not below the rank of a Deputy Tahsildar to make the inquiry. The officer making the inquiry shall fix a date and the time and place at which the inquiry will take place and cause to be served on the respondent or respondents a copy of the application and a notice to show cause why the order prayed for should not issue. The notice shall also be posted in the village or villages where the land irrigated is situated and shall also be published in the manner prescribed so as to give notice to the ryots holding lands in the ayacut of the irrigation work. On the day fixed in the notice or, on any other date to which the inquiry may be adjourned, the officer making the inquiry shall hear the applicant or applicants, the respondent or respondents and any ryot interested who may attend, and may take evidence and make such further inquiry as he may think fit. If the enquiry is made by an officer other than the officer to whom the application is made, he shall make a report thereon to the officer to whom the application is made and shall send him the records of the enquiry; and the officer to whom the application is made shall pass his order after considering the report and hearing the objections, if any, of the parties.
