First Previous (Chapter IV. Working facilities.) Next (Chapter VI. Provisions in relation to compensation payable under section 5.)

7 1960

PETROLEUM AND OTHER MINERALS DEVELOPMENT ACT, 1960

Chapter V.

Proceedings before the Board and powers of the Board under Part II.

Interpretation (Chapter V, Part II).

29. —In this Chapter references to the Board shall be construed as references to the Board exercising the functions assigned to it by this Part.

Regulations for proceedings before Board.

30. —The Minister may make regulations in relation to all or any of the following matters, that is to say:—

(a) the times and places of the sittings of the Board;

(b) the persons to whom and the times and manner in which notice of the sittings of the Board shall be given;

(c) the admission or exclusion of the public to or from sittings of the Board;

(d) such other matters in relation to the practice and procedure of the Board as the Minister may consider necessary or expedient for the proper conduct of the business of the Board.

Powers of the Board.

31. —(1) The Board shall have all such powers, rights and privileges for enforcing the attendance of witnesses and examining them on oath (which any member of the Board is hereby authorised to administer) or otherwise and for compelling the production of documents as are vested in the High Court or a judge thereof in respect of the trial of an action, and a summons signed by any one or more members of the Board shall be equivalent to and have the like effect as a formal process issued by the High Court for enforcing the attendance of witnesses or compelling the production of documents, as the case may be.

(2) If any person—

(a) on being duly summoned as a witness before the Board makes default in attending, or

(b) being in attendance as a witness refuses to take an oath legally required by the Board to be taken, or to produce any document in his power or control legally required by the Board to be produced by him, or to answer any question to which the Board may legally require an answer, or

(c) does any thing which would, if the Board were a Court of Justice having power to commit for contempt of Court, be contempt of such Court,

the Board may certify the offence of that person under their hands to the High Court and that Court may, after such inquiry as it thinks proper to make, punish or take steps for the punishment of that person in like manner as if he had been guilty of contempt of the said Court.

(3) A witness before the Board shall be entitled to the same immunities and privileges as if he were a witness before the High Court.

Entry on land by the Board or officers thereof.

32. —(1) Any member of the Board and any person authorised in that behalf by the Board may for any purpose connected with the performance of the functions imposed by this Part on the Board enter on any land and make such investigation thereon as the Board may consider necessary for the purpose aforesaid.

(2) If any person obstructs or impedes any member of the Board or any person authorised by the Board in the exercise of the powers conferred on such member or persons by this section, such person shall be guilty of an offence under this section and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding ten pounds.