Section 418 in The Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporations Act, 1949
418. Power to summon witnesses and compel production of documents. - (1) l or the purposes of any inquiry or proceeding under this Act, the Judge may summon and enforce the attendance of witnesses and compel them to give evidence and compel the production of documents, by the same means and, as far as is possible, in the same manner as is provided in the case of a Court of Small Causes by or under [the relevant Small Cause Courts Act] and in all matters relating to any such inquiry or proceeding the Judge shall be guided generally by the provisions of the said Act so far as the same are applicable.
(2)If, in any such inquiry or proceeding, the person against whom the complaint or application had been made fails to appear, notwithstanding that he has been duly summoned for this purpose, the Judge may hear and determine the case in his absence.(3)The costs of every such inquiry or proceeding as determined by the Judge, shall be payable by such parties and in such proportions as the Judge shall direct and the amount thereof shall, if necessary, be recoverable as if the same were due under a decree of a Court of Small Causes constituted under [the relevant Small Causes Courts Act];Provided that, if such inquiry or proceeding relates to a dispute regarding expenses declared to be improvement expenses by or under any provision of this Act, the amount of the costs directed by the Judge to be paid by the owner or occupier of the premises on respect of which or for the benefit of which the improvement expenses were incurred shall be a charge on such premises and may also be recovered in the manner prescribed in section 442.
