Section 13Part 2 — Acquisition
Summoning witnesses
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13. (1) For the purpose of enquiries under this Law the magistrate shall have all the powers of the Court to summon witnesses, administer oaths, compel witnesses to give evidence and compel the production of documents so as to elicit all such information as the magistrate may consider necessary, without being bound by the rules of evidence in civil or criminal proceedings: Provided that if any witness objects to answer any question or to produce any document on the ground that it will tend to incriminate him, or on any other Section 14 Land Acquisition Law Page 10 Revised as at 8th day of August, 1995 c lawful ground, he shall not be required to answer such question or to produce such document, nor shall he be liable to any penalties for refusing to do so.
Every summons issued under subsection (1) shall be signed by the magistrate and shall state the time when and the place where the person summoned is required to attend and the particular documents which he is required to produce, and the summons shall be served on the person mentioned therein by delivering to him a copy thereof or by leaving with some adult person a copy thereof at his usual or last known place of abode in the Islands
Whoever without lawful excuse fails or neglects to attend in obedience to any summons, or fails to answer any question put to him by the magistrate or to produce any document the production of which is required by the magistrate or to supply any information required by the magistrate, is guilty of an offence, and liable on summary conviction to a fine of fifty dollars and, in default of payment of such fine, to imprisonment for one month.
Any person who intentionally gives a false answer to any question material to the subject of enquiry which may be put to him during the course of any proceedings before the magistrate shall be liable to be indicted and punished for perjury.