Information Technology Act, 2000
46. Power to adjudicate. –
(1) For the purpose of adjudging under this
Chapter whether any person has committed a contravention of any of the
provisions of this Act or of any rule, regulation, direction or order made
thereunder the Central Government shall, subject to the provisions of sub
section (3), appoint any officer not below the rank of a Director to the
Government of India or an equivalent officer of a State Government to be an
adjudicating officer for holding an inquiry in the manner prescribed by the
Central Government .
(2) The adjudicating officer shall, after
giving the person referred to in sub-section (1) a reasonable opportunity for
making representation in the matter and if, on such inquiry, he is satisfied
that the person has committed the contravention, he may impose such penalty or
award such compensation as he thinks fit in accordance with the provisions of
that section.
(3) No person shall be appointed as an
adjudicating officer unless he possesses such experience in the filed of
Information Technology and legal or judicial experience as may be prescribed by
the Central Government.
(4) Where more than one adjudicating officers
are appointed, the Central Government shall specify by order the matters and
places with respect to which such officers shall exercise their jurisdiction.
(5) Every adjudicating officer shall have the
powers of a civil court which are conferred on the Cyber Appellate Tribunal
under sub-section (2) of section (2) of section 58, and-
(a) all proceedings
before it shall be deemed to be judicial proceedings within the meaning of
section 193 and 228 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860);
(b) shall be deemed to
be a civil court for the purpose of section 345 and 346 of the Code of Criminal
Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974).