(1)Every officer who has been authorised by Government under this Act shall maintain a register of money-lenders in such form and with such particulars as may be prescribed, such register shall be deemed to be a public document within the meaning of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 (Central Act 1 of 1872).(2)Every money-lender, in order to get his name registered, shall present an application in writing in the prescribed form to the competent officer and the said officer shall on such application being presented, register the applicant's name and grant a licence in the prescribed form and written prescribed period:Provided that the licensing authority may, if he has reason to believe that a money-lender is of undesirable conduct, refuse to grant or to renew a licence and shall record the reasons therefor. Where the licensing authority is a Tahsildar an appeal from his order shall lie to the Collector and to the [Board of Revenue] [Substituted for the word 'Subedar' by the Andhra Pradesh Adaptation of Laws Order, 1957.] where the licensing authority is a Collector. The decision of the appellate authority shall be final.(3)Every person making an application under subsection (2) shall pay such licence fee not exceeding twenty-five rupees, as has been fixed for the district concerned.(4)A licence issued under sub-section (2) shall be valid for one year from the date of issue.(5)(a)No money-lender shall carry on in any district the business of money-lending without obtaining a licence provided for in sub-section (2);(b)If any person contravenes the provisions of clause (a), he shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months or with fine or with both. The fine imposed shall, in case of default, be recoverable as arrears of land revenue. The Collector shall have power to award punishment under this clause. An appeal against his order shall lie to the Sessions Judge;(c)An offence under this sub-section shall be cognizable and bailable.(6)[* * *]
