(1)The Deputy Commissioner or any officer not below the rank of Extra Assistant Commissioner authorized in writing by him or any person empowered by the State Government in this behalf by a general or special order, may -(a)enter on, inspect and survey, or cause to be entered on, inspected and surveyed, any immovable property occupied by any committee or joint committee, or any work in progress under its direction ;(b)by order in writing addressed to the Secretary call for and inspect or cause to be inspected any book or documents in the possession or under the control of any committee or joint committee and the member or employee of the committee in possession of such book or document shall immediately place such book or document at the disposal of the Secretary, who shall immediately comply with such order and shall immediately inform the President of the requisition. He shall also bring the matter to the notice of the committee at its meeting next following ;(c)by order in writing addressed to the Secretary require any such committee or joint committee to furnish within a specified period such statements, accounts, reports and copies of documents relating to the proceedings or duties of the committee as he may think fit to call for;(d)inquire generally into the affairs of a committee or joint committee with a view to ascertaining whether a municipality is being satisfactorily administered, and for the purposes of such inquiry make use of any property of the committee, and of the powers mentioned in clauses (a), (b) and (c), and the members and employees of the committee shall render such assistance in the inquiry as may be deemed necessary.Explanation. - Any person so empowered shall be deemed to be a public servant within the meaning of Section 21 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.
