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PART IA BOARD OF COMPANY LAW ADMINISTRATION

10E. CONSTITUTION OF BOARD OF COMPANY LAW ADMINISTRATION

(1) As soon as may be after the commencement of the Companies (Amendment) Act, 1988, the Central Government shall, by notification in the Official Gazette, constitute a Board to be called the Board of Company Law Administration. (1A) The Company Law Board shall exercise and discharge such powers and functions as may be [conferred on it, before the commencement of the Companies (Second Amendment) Act, 2002] by or under this Act or any other law, and shall also exercise and discharge such other powers and functions of the Central Government under this Act or any other law as may be [conferred on it before the commencement of the Companies (Second Amendment) Act, 2002] by the Central Government, by notification in the Official Gazette under the provisions of this Act or that other law.

(2) The Company Law Board shall consist of such number of members, not exceeding nine, as the Central Government deems fit, to be appointed by that Government by notification in the Official Gazette :

[Provided that the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, continue the appointment of the chairman or any other member of the Company Law Board functioning as such immediately before the commencement of the Companies (Amendment) Act, 1988, as the chairman or any other member of the Company Law Board, after such commencement for such period not exceeding three years as may be specified in the notification.]

[(2A) The members of the Company Law Board shall possess such qualifications and experience as may be prescribed.]

(3) One of the members shall be appointed by the Central Government to be the chairman of the Company Law Board.

(4) No act done by the Company Law Board shall be called in question on the ground only of any defect in the constitution of, or the existence of any vacancy in, the Company Law Board. (4A) [Omitted by the Companies (Amendment) Act, 1988, with effect from 31-5-1991.] (4B) [The Board] may, by order in writing, form one or more Benches from among its members and authorize each such Bench to exercise and discharge such of the Board's powers and functions as may be specified in the order ; and every order made or act done by a Bench in exercise of such powers or discharge of such functions shall be deemed to be the order or act, as the case may be, of the Board. (4C) Every Bench referred to in sub-section (4B) shall have powers which are vested in a Court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908), while trying a suit, in respect of the following matters, namely : -

(a) discovery and inspection of documents or other material objects producible as evidence ;

(b) enforcing the attendance of witnesses and requiring the deposit of their expenses ;

(d) examining witnesses on oath ;

(e) granting adjournments ;

(f) reception of evidence on affidavits.

(4D) Every Bench 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), and every proceeding before the Bench shall be deemed to be a judicial proceeding within the meaning of sections 193 and 228 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860), and for the purpose of section 196 of that Code.

(5) Without prejudice to the provisions of sub-sections (4C) and (4D), the Company Law Board shall in the exercise of its powers and the discharge of its functions under this Act or any other law be guided by the principles of natural justice and shall act in its discretion.

(6) Subject to the foregoing provisions of this section, the Company Law Board shall have power to regulate its own procedure.]