Section 20 — Powers relating to inquiries.

20. Powers relating to inquiries.—(1) The State Commission shall, while inquiring into any matter 

referred to in clauses (b) and (e) of sub-section (6) of section 16, have all the powers of a civil court while 

trying a suit under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908)  and, in particular, in respect of the 

following matters, namely:— 

(a) summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person and examining him on oath; 

(b) discovery and production of any document; 



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(c) receiving evidence on affidavits; 

(d) requisitioning any public record or copy thereof from any court or office; and 

(e) issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses or documents. 

(2) The State Commission shall have the power to forward any case to a Magistrate having 

jurisdiction to try the same and the Magistrate to whom any such case is forwarded shall proceed to hear 

the complaint against the accused as if the case has been forwarded to him under section 346 of the Code 

of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974).