Section 8 in Punjab Relief of Indebtedness Act, 1934
8. Setting up of Debt Conciliation Board.
(1)(a)The Chief Commissioner may for the purpose of amicable settlement between debtors and their creditors establish debt conciliation boards.(b)The Chief Commissioner shall define the local limits of the area in which a board shall have jurisdiction.(c)The Chief Commissioner shall determine the pecuniary limits of the jurisdiction of the board, provided that no board shall have jurisdiction to make a settlement between a debtor and his creditor if the total debts of the debtor exceed Rs. 10,000 or such large amount as the Chief Commissioner may prescribe for any area.(d)Such board shall consist of a Chairman and one or more members to be appointed by the Chief Commissioner:Provided that no act done or proceeding taken by a board under this Act shall be called into question on the ground merely of the existence of any vacancy in any board.(e)The Chairman and every member of a board so established shall be appointed for a term not exceeding three years, but shall be eligible by for reappointment on the expiry of his term.(f)The quorum of a board shall be prescribed by the Chief Commissioner.(g)Where the Chairman and Members of a board are not unanimous, the opinion of the majority shall prevail, and, if the board is equally divided, the Chairman shall exercise a casting vote.(2)The Chief Commissioner may cancel the appointment of any member of a board or dissolve any board.(3)The Chief Commissioner shall notify in the Official Gazette-(a)the establishment of a board and the appointment of its members ; and the board shall be deemed to have been established and its members appointed from the date specified in such notification or notifications(b)the cancellation of the appointment of any member of a board ; and from the date specified in such notification the member shall cease to be a member of the board ;(c)the dissolution of a board ; and from the date specified in such notification the board shall cease to exist.(4)When a board is dissolved or ceases to exist otherwise, the Chief Commissioner may at any time establish another board within the same local limits in which the former board had jurisdiction and may declare this board to be the successor in office of the first board and may confer on it power to dispose of such applications under Section 13(2) and Section 23 as the Chief Commissioner may direct.
