5. Tribunal .- (1) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, constitute, as and when necessary, a tribunal to be known as the “Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal” consisting of one person, to be appointed the Central Government:
Provided that no person shall be so appointed unless he is a Judge of a, High Court.
(2) If, for any reason, a vacancy (other than a temporary absence) occurs in the office of the presiding officer of the Tribunal, then the Central Government shall appoint another person in accordance with the provisions of this section to fill the vacancy and the proceedings may be continued before the Tribunal from the stage at which the vacancy is filled.
(3) The Central Government shall make available to the Tribunal such staff as may be necessary for the discharge of its functions under this Act.
(4) All expanses incurred in connection with the Tribunal shall be defrayed out of the Consolidated Fund of India.
(5) Subject to the provisions of Section 9, the Tribunal shall have power to regulate its own procedure in all matters arising out of the discharge of its functions including the place or places at which it will hold its sittings.
(6) The Tribunal shall, for the purpose of making an inquiry under this Act, have the same powers as are vested in a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, (5 of 1908) while trying a suit, in respect of the following matters, namely: -
(a) The summoning and enforcing the attendance of any witness and examining him on oath;
(b) The discovery and production of any document or other material object producible as evidence;
(c) The reception of evidence on affidavits;
(d) The requisitioning of any public record from any court or office;
(e) The issuing of any commission for the examination of witnesses.
(7) Any proceeding before the Tribunal shall be deemed to be a judicial proceeding within the meaning of Sections 193 and 228 of the Indian Penal Code and the Tribunal shall be deemed to be a civil court for the purposes of Section 195 and *[Chapter XXVI] of the *[Code].
*[Modified by Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act, 2004., section 3 & 5]
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