171. Local inquiries - (1) The Deputy Commissioner may, at any stage of a suit or other proceeding before him under this Act,-
(a)cause a local inquiry and report respecting the matter in dispute to be made by any officer subordinate to him, or by any other officer of the [Government] with the consent to the authority to whom such officer is subordinate, or by any other person whom the Deputy Commissioner may deem fit; or(b)himself proceed to the spot and make such local inquiry in person.(2)The provisions of the law for the time being in force, relating to local inquiries by Commissioner, under orders of Civil Courts, shall apply to any local inquiry made under clause (a) of sub-section (1), and, so far as they are applicable, also to inquiries made under clause (b) of that sub-section.(3)Where the Deputy Commissioner makes a local inquiry in person, he shall forthwith record on the proceedings any relevant facts which he has observed in the course of the inquiry; and such record shall be received as evidence in the suit or other proceeding aforesaid.
