18. Authorities and officers to have certain power of civil courts.-
(1) The protector General of Emigrants, the registering authority, the competent authority and every Protector of Emigrants shall, for the purpose of discharging their functions under this Act, have the same powers as are vested in a court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 while trying a suit, in respect of the following matters, namely :- Summoning and enforcing the attendance of witnesses, requiring any public record or copy thereof, from any court or office, requisitioning any public record or copy thereof from any court or office receiving evidence on affidavits, and issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses or documents.
Every proceeding before the Protector General of Emigrants, or the registering authority or the competent authority or a Protector of Emigrants shall be a judicial proceeding within the meaning of sections 193 and 228 of the Indian Penal Code and the Protector of Emigrants, the registering authority, the competent authority, and every Protector of Emigrants shall be deemed to be a civil court for the purpose of Section 195 and Chapter XXVI of the Code of Criminal Procedure , 1973.
