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  "title": "PUNJAB DEPARTMENTAL INQUIRIES (POWERS) ACT, 1958",
  "source_collection": "Punjab",
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  "source_url": "https://punjabcode.punjab.gov.pk/en/show_article/UmcBMgEyATA-",
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  "source_snapshot": "2026-08-06T16:54:02Z",
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  "text": "THE PUNJAB DEPARTMENTAL INQUIRIES (POWERS) \r\nACT, 1958 \r\n(XLV of 1958) \r\nCONTENTS \r\n1. Short title and extent. \r\n2. Power to summon witnesses and to compel production of documents. \r\n3. Penalties. \r\n4. Repeal. \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\nTEXT \r\n1\r\nTHE \r\n2\r\n[PUNJAB] DEPARTMENTAL INQUIRIES (POWERS) ACT, 1958 \r\n(XLV of 1958) \r\n[23 September 1958] \r\nAn \r\nAct \r\nto confer powers for compelling attendance of witnesses and production of \r\ndocuments on officers conducting departmental inquiries against Government  \r\nservants in the Province of \r\n3\r\n[Punjab]. \r\nPreamble.– WHEREAS it is expedient to confer powers to compel attendance of \r\nwitnesses and production of documents on officers conducting departmental \r\ninquiries against Government servants in the Province of \r\n4\r\n[Punjab]; \r\n It is hereby enacted as follows:– \r\n1. Short title and extent .– (1) This Act may be called the \r\n5\r\n[Punjab] \r\nDepartmental Inquiries (Powers) Act, 1958. \r\n \r\n6\r\n[(2) It extends to the whole of the Province  of \r\n7\r\n[Punjab], except the Tribal \r\nAreas.] \r\n2. Power to summon witnesses and to compel production of documents .– \r\nAn officer conducting a departmental inquiry against a Government servant under \r\nany rules for the time being in force, may exercise the same power s for compelling \r\nthe attendance of witnesses \r\n8\r\n[,] production of documents \r\n9\r\n[and issuing commissions \r\nfor the examination of witnesses] as are exercisable by a civil court under the Code \r\nof Civil Procedure, 1908\r\n10\r\n: \r\n Provided that the process issued by the off icer conducting the departmental \r\ninquiry shall be served and executed by the civil court having jurisdiction in the place \r\n                                                           \r\n1For Statement of Objects and Reasons, see Gazette of West Pakistan 1958 (Extraordinary), p. 1118. This Act was passed by \r\nthe West Pakistan Assembly on April  25, 1958 , assented to b y the Governor of West Pakistan on Sep tember 20,  1958, \r\npublished in the Gazette of West Pakistan (Extraordinary), dated September 23, 1958, pp. 1293-1294. \r\n2Substituted for the words “West Pakistan” by the West Pakistan Laws (Adaptation) Order, 1974 (1 of 1974) (w.e.f. 14.8.1973), \r\npublished in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated November 20, 1974, pp. 1425-A-1425-PP, s. 2 read with Schedule, \r\nSerial No. 16.  \r\n3Ibid. \r\n4Ibid. \r\n5Ibid.  \r\n6Substituted by the West Pakistan Laws (Extension to Karachi) Ordinance, 1964 (VII of 1964), published in the Gazette of West \r\nPakistan (Extraordinary), dated May 25, 1964, pp. 1679-1688, s. 2 read with Schedule, Serial No. 14.  \r\n7Substituted for the words “West Pakistan” by the West Pakistan Laws (Adaptation) Order, 1974 (1 of 1974) (w.e.f. 14.8.1973), \r\npublished in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated November 20, 1974, pp. 1425-A-1425-PP, s. 2 read with Schedule, \r\nSerial No. 16.  \r\n8Substituted for the word “and” by the West Pakistan  Departmental Inquiries (Powers) (Amendment) Ordinance, 1961 (XI of \r\n1961), published in the Gazette of West Pakistan (Extraordinary), dated June 17, 1961, pp. 1581-1582, s. 2(i).  \r\n9Inserted by the Ordinance ibid., s. 2(ii).  \r\n10V of 1908.  \r\nwhere the witness or the person in possession of the document, as the case may be, \r\nresides. \r\n3. Penalties.– Any person disobeying a pro cess issued by an officer in exercise \r\nof the powers conferred by section 2 shall be liable to the same penalties to which he \r\nwould have been liable if he had disobeyed a process issued by the civil court. \r\n4. Repeal.– The West Pakistan Departmental Inquirie s (Powers) Ordinance, \r\n1958\r\n1\r\n, is hereby repealed. \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n                                                           \r\n1XV of 1958, promulgated by the Governor of the West Pakistan u nder Article 102 of the Constitution, published in the Gazette \r\nof West Pakistan (Extraordinary), dated June 3, 1958, pp. 867-868.",
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