Industrial Relations Act, 1946

Power of Court to summon witnesses, etc.

21.—(1) The Court may for the purposes of any proceedings before it under this Act do all or any of the following things—

(a) summon witnesses to attend before it,

(b) examine on oath (which a member or the registrar of the Court is hereby authorised to administer) the witnesses attending before it,

(c) require any such witness to produce to the Court any document in his power or control.

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

(3) If any person—

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

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

he shall be guilty of an offence under this section and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding ten pounds.

(4) Where a witness attends before the Court in pursuance of a summons under this section, the Minister may, if he thinks fit, pay to him such sum in respect of expenses incurred by him in connection with his attendance as the Minister, with the sanction of the Minister for Finance, determines.