National Environment Tribunal Act, 1995

5. Procedure and powers of Tribunal

(1) On   receipt of an application under sub-section (1) of  section 4, the Tribunal may, after such inquiry as it may deem fit, reject the application summarily.

(2) Where the Tribunal does not reject the application under sub-section (1), the Tribunal may, after giving notice of the application to the owner and after giving the parties an opportunity of being heard, hold an inquiry into the claim or each of the claims and may make an award determining the amount of compensation which appears to be just and specifying the person or persons to whom such amount of compensation shall be paid.

(3) The Tribunal shall not be bound by the procedure laid down by the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, but shall be guided by the principles of nature justice and, subject to the other provisions of this Act and of any rules, the Tribunal shall have power to regulate its own procedure including the fixing of places and times of its inquiry.

(4) The Tribunal shall have, for the purpose of discharging its functions under this Act, the same powers as are vested in a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, while trying a suit, in respect of the following matters, namely :-

(a) summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person and examining him on oath;

(b) requiring the discovery and production of documents;

(c) receiving evidence on affidavits;

(d) subject to the provisions of sections 123 and 124 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, requisitioning any public record or document or copy of such record or document from any office;

(e) issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses or documents;

(f) reviewing its decisions;

(g) dismissing an application or default or deciding it ex ports;

(h) setting aside any order of dismissal of any application for default or any order passed by it  ex parte ; and

( i ) any other matter which is to be, or may be, prescribed.

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