THE PUNJAB DEPARTMENTAL INQUIRIES (POWERS) 
ACT, 1958 
(XLV of 1958) 
CONTENTS 
1. Short title and extent. 
2. Power to summon witnesses and to compel production of documents. 
3. Penalties. 
4. Repeal. 
 
 
 
TEXT 
1
THE 
2
[PUNJAB] DEPARTMENTAL INQUIRIES (POWERS) ACT, 1958 
(XLV of 1958) 
[23 September 1958] 
An 
Act 
to confer powers for compelling attendance of witnesses and production of 
documents on officers conducting departmental inquiries against Government  
servants in the Province of 
3
[Punjab]. 
Preamble.– WHEREAS it is expedient to confer powers to compel attendance of 
witnesses and production of documents on officers conducting departmental 
inquiries against Government servants in the Province of 
4
[Punjab]; 
 It is hereby enacted as follows:– 
1. Short title and extent .– (1) This Act may be called the 
5
[Punjab] 
Departmental Inquiries (Powers) Act, 1958. 
 
6
[(2) It extends to the whole of the Province  of 
7
[Punjab], except the Tribal 
Areas.] 
2. Power to summon witnesses and to compel production of documents .– 
An officer conducting a departmental inquiry against a Government servant under 
any rules for the time being in force, may exercise the same power s for compelling 
the attendance of witnesses 
8
[,] production of documents 
9
[and issuing commissions 
for the examination of witnesses] as are exercisable by a civil court under the Code 
of Civil Procedure, 1908
10
: 
 Provided that the process issued by the off icer conducting the departmental 
inquiry shall be served and executed by the civil court having jurisdiction in the place 
                                                           
1For Statement of Objects and Reasons, see Gazette of West Pakistan 1958 (Extraordinary), p. 1118. This Act was passed by 
the West Pakistan Assembly on April  25, 1958 , assented to b y the Governor of West Pakistan on Sep tember 20,  1958, 
published in the Gazette of West Pakistan (Extraordinary), dated September 23, 1958, pp. 1293-1294. 
2Substituted for the words “West Pakistan” by the West Pakistan Laws (Adaptation) Order, 1974 (1 of 1974) (w.e.f. 14.8.1973), 
published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated November 20, 1974, pp. 1425-A-1425-PP, s. 2 read with Schedule, 
Serial No. 16.  
3Ibid. 
4Ibid. 
5Ibid.  
6Substituted by the West Pakistan Laws (Extension to Karachi) Ordinance, 1964 (VII of 1964), published in the Gazette of West 
Pakistan (Extraordinary), dated May 25, 1964, pp. 1679-1688, s. 2 read with Schedule, Serial No. 14.  
7Substituted for the words “West Pakistan” by the West Pakistan Laws (Adaptation) Order, 1974 (1 of 1974) (w.e.f. 14.8.1973), 
published in the Punjab Gazette (Extraordinary), dated November 20, 1974, pp. 1425-A-1425-PP, s. 2 read with Schedule, 
Serial No. 16.  
8Substituted for the word “and” by the West Pakistan  Departmental Inquiries (Powers) (Amendment) Ordinance, 1961 (XI of 
1961), published in the Gazette of West Pakistan (Extraordinary), dated June 17, 1961, pp. 1581-1582, s. 2(i).  
9Inserted by the Ordinance ibid., s. 2(ii).  
10V of 1908.  
where the witness or the person in possession of the document, as the case may be, 
resides. 
3. Penalties.– Any person disobeying a pro cess issued by an officer in exercise 
of the powers conferred by section 2 shall be liable to the same penalties to which he 
would have been liable if he had disobeyed a process issued by the civil court. 
4. Repeal.– The West Pakistan Departmental Inquirie s (Powers) Ordinance, 
1958
1
, is hereby repealed. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
1XV of 1958, promulgated by the Governor of the West Pakistan u nder Article 102 of the Constitution, published in the Gazette 
of West Pakistan (Extraordinary), dated June 3, 1958, pp. 867-868.