Special Marriage Act, 1954
9. Powers of Marriage Officers in
respect of inquiries
(1) For the purpose of
any inquiry under section 8, the Marriage Officer shall have all the powers vested
in a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, when trying a suit in
respect of the following matters, namely :-
(a) summoning and enforcing the attendance of
witnesses and examining them on oath;
(b) discovery and
inspection ;
(c) compelling the
production of documents ;
(d) reception of
evidence on affidavits ; and
(e) issuing
commissions for the examination of witnesses ;
and any proceeding before the Marriage Officer
shall be deemed to be a judicial proceeding within the meaning of section 193
of the Indian Penal Code.
Explanation.- For the purpose of
enforcing the attendance of any person to give evidence, the local limits of
the jurisdiction of the Marriage Officer shall be the local limits of his
district.
(2) If it appears to
the Marriage Officer that the objection made to an intended marriage is not
reasonable and has not been made in good faith he may impose on the person
objecting cost by way of compensation not exceeding one thousand rupees and
award the whole or any part thereof to the parties to the intended marriage,
and any order for costs so made may be executed in the sane manner as a decree
passed by the district court within the local limits of whose jurisdiction the
Marriage officer has his office.