32. Powers and duties of the Bench Officers.- (1) In addition to the powers conferred elsewhere in these Regulations, the Bench Officer shall have the following powers and duties subject to any general or special order of the Bench concerned namely,- (i) to receive all petitions or applications and other documents including transferred applications; (ii) to decide all questions arising out of the scrutiny of the petitions and applications before they are registered., (iii) to require any petition or application presented to the Bench to be amended in accordance with the Act and the regulations; (iv) subject to the direction of the Bench, to fix the date of first hearing of the petitions or applications or other proceedings and issue notices thereof; (v) to direct any formal amendment of records; (vi) to order grant of copies of documents to parties to the proceedings; (vii) to grant leave to inspect the records of the bench; (viii) to dispose of matters relating to service of notices; (ix) to receive applications within thirty days from the date of death for substitution of authorised representatives of the deceased parties during the pendency of the petition or application; (x) to receive and dispose of applications for substitution, except where the substitution would involve setting aside an order of abatement; (xi) to receive and dispose of applications by parties for return of documents. (2) An appeal against any decision by a Bench Officer under clauses (ii), (iii), (v) and (vii) shall be made to the bench by the aggrieved party within fifteen days from the date such decision is communicated to him. | 