Trade Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Act, 1969
12. Powers
of the Commission.
1. The
Commission shall, for the purposes of any inquiry under this Act, have the same
powers as are vested in a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908
(5 of 1908), while trying a suit, in respect of the following matters, namely
:-
a. the
summoning and enforcing the attendance of any witness and examining him on
oath;
b. the
discovery and production of any document or other material object producible as
evidence;
c. the
reception of evidence on affidavits;
d. the
requisitioning of any public record from any court or office
e. the
issuing of any commission for the examination of witnesses;
f. the
appearance of parties and consequence of non-appearance.
1.
2. Any
proceeding before the Commission shall be deemed to be a judicial proceeding
within the meaning of sections 193 and 228 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (45
of 1890), and the Commission shall be deemed to be a civil court for the
purposes of section 195 and Chapter XXVI of the Code of Criminal Procedure,
1973 (2 of 1974)
3. The
Commission shall have power to require any person –
a. to produce
before, and allow to be examined and kept by, an officer of the Commission
specified in this behalf, such books, accounts or other documents in the
custody or under the control of the person so required as may be specified or
described in the requisition, being documents relating to any trade practice,
the examination of which may be required for the purposes of this Act; and
b. to furnish
to an officer so specified such information as respects the trade practice as
may be required for the purposes of this Act or such other information as may
be in his possession in relation to the trade carried on by any other person.
1.
2.
3.
4. For
the purpose of enforcing the attendance of witnesses the local limits of the
Commission's jurisdiction shall be the limits of the territory of India.
5. Where,
during any inquiry under this Act, the Commission has any grounds to believe
that any books or papers of, or relating to any undertaking in relation to
which such inquiry is being made or which the owner of such undertaking may be
required to produce in such inquiry, are being, or may be, destroyed,
mutilated, altered, falsified or secreted, it may, by a written order,
authorise any officer of the Commission to exercise the same powers of entry,
search and seizure in relation to the undertaking, or the books or papers,
aforesaid as may be exercised by the Director General while holding a
preliminary investigation under section 11. 67.