Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991
5. Powers of Collector
(i) The Collector may follow such summary procedure for
conducting an inquiry on an application for relief under the Act, as he thinks
fit.
(ii) The Collector shall have all the powers of a civil court
for the following purposes, 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
documents or copy of such record or document from any office;
(e) issuing commissions for the examination of
witnesses or documents;
(f) dismissing an application for default or
proceeding ex parte;
(g) setting aside any order of dismissal of
any application for default or any order passed by it ex parte;
(h) inherent powers of a civil court as saved under
section 151 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908.