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Power of Lay Commissioners to summon witnesses.
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8.—(1) For the removal of doubt, it is hereby enacted that the Lay Commissioners may for the purposes of such of their functions as may require a hearing do all or any of the following things—
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(a) summon witnesses to attend before them,
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(b) examine on oath (which any Lay Commissioner is hereby authorised to administer) witnesses attending before them,
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(c) require any such witness to produce to them any document in his power or control.
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(2) A witness before the Lay Commissioners at such a hearing shall be entitled to the same immunities and privileges as if he were a witness before the High Court.
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(3) A summons shall be signed by at least one Lay Commissioner.
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(4) If any person—
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(a) on being duly summoned as a witness before the Lay Commissioners at such a hearing makes default in attending, or
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(b) being in attendance as a witness at such a hearing refuses to take an oath legally required by the Lay Commissioners to be taken, or to produce any document in his power or control legally required by the Lay Commissioners to be produced by him, or to answer any question to which a Lay Commissioner may legally require an answer, or
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(c) does any other thing which would, if the Lay Commissioners were a court of law having power to commit for contempt of court, be contempt of such court,
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the Lay Commissioners may certify the offence of that person under the common seal of the Land Commission to the High Court and the High Court may, after such inquiry as it thinks proper to make, punish or take steps for the punishment of that person in like manner as if he had been guilty of contempt of the High Court.
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