Madhya Bharat Public Servants Act, 1954

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Section 1

1-)Title, extent and commencement. (1) This Act may be called "The Madhya Bharat Public Servants (Inquiries) Act, 1954". (2) It extends to the whole of [Madhya Bharat] [Substituted by M.P. A.O. 1956.] region. (3) It shall come into force from such date as may be noted in this behalf by the Government in the Gazette.

Section 2

2-)Definition. - 'Board' means the Board of Revenue of Madhya Bharat

Section 3

Articles of charge to be drawn out for public inquiry into conduct of certain public servants. 

 Whenever the Government shall be of opinion that there are good grounds for making formal and public inquiry into the truth of any impulsion of misbehaviour by any person in the service of the Government not removable from his appointment without the sanction of the Government, it may cause the substance of the imputations to be drawn into distinct articles of charge, and may order a formal and public inquiry to be made into the truth thereof

Section 4

Authorities to whom inquiry may be committed : Notice to accused. The inquiry may be committed either to the Court, Board or other authority to which the person accused is subordinate, or to any other person or persons, to be specially appointed by the Government, Commissioners for the purpose notice of which commission shall be given to the person accused, at least ten days before the beginning of the inquiry.

Section 5

Conduct of Government prosecution.

- When the Government shall think fit to conduct the prosecution, it shall nominate some person for that purpose on its behalf.

Section 6

Charge by accuser to be written and verified : Penalty Cor false accusation: Investigation of inquiry by Government. - When the charge shall be brought by an accuser, the Government shall require the accusation to be reduced to writing, and verified by the oath or solemn affirmation of the accuser; and every person who shall wilfully and maliciously make any false accusation under this Act, upon such oath or information, shall be liable to the penalties of perjury but this enactment shall not be construed to prevent the Government from instituting any inquiry which it shall think fit, without such accusation on oath or solemn affirmation as aforesaid

Section 7

Security from accuser left by Government to prosecute. - Where the imputations shall have been made by an accuser and the Government shall think fit to leave to him the conduct of the prosecution, the Government before appointing the commission shall require him to furnish reasonable security that he will attend and prosecute the charge thoroughly, effectually, and also will be forthcoming to answer any countercharge or action which may be afterwards brought against him for malicious application prosecution or perjury or subordination of perjury, as the case may be.

Section 8

Power of Government to abandon prosecution and to allow accuser to continue it. - At any subsequent stage of the proceeding, the Government may, if it thinks fit, abandon the prosecution, and in such case may, if it thinks fit on the application of the accuser, allow him to continue the prosecution, if he is desirous of so doing on his furnishing such security as is hereinbefore mentioned.

Section 9

Power of Commissioners : Their protection: Service of their process : Power of Court, etc. acting under commission. - The Commissioners shall have the same power of punishing contempts and obstructions to their proceedings, as given to Civil and Criminal Courts by Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, and shall have the same powers for the summons of witnesses, and for compelling the production of documents, and for the discharge of their duty under the commission, and shall be entitled to the same protection as the Civil Judges, except that process to cause the attendance of witnesses or other compulsory process, shall be served through and executed by the Civil Judge in whose jurisdiction the witness or other person resides, on whom the process is to be served. When the commission has been issued to a Court, or other person or persons, having power to issue such process in the exercise of their ordinary authority, they may also use all such power for the purpose of the commision

Section 10

Penalty for disobedience to process. - All persons disobeying any lawful process issued as aforesaid for the purposes of the commission shall be liable to the same penalties as if the same had been issued originally from the Court or other authority through whom it is executed.

Section 11

Copy of charge and list to be furnished to accused. - A copy of the articles of charge, and list of the documents and witnesses by which each charge is to be sustained, shall be delivered to the person accused, at least three days before the beginning of the inquiry exclusive of the day of delivery and the first day of the inquiry.

Section 12

Procedure at beginning of inquiry : Non-appearance of accused and admission of charge. - At the beginning of the inquiry, the prosecutor shall exhibit the articles of charge to the Commissioners, which shall be openly read, and the person accused shall thereupon by required to pleads 'guilty' or 'not guilty' to each of them, which pleas shall be forthwith recorded with the articles of charge. If the person accused refuses, or without reasonable cause neglects to appear to answer the charge either personally or by his counsel or agent, he shall be taken to admit the truth of the articles of charge.

Section 13

Prosecutor's right of address. - The prosecutor shall then be entitled to address the Commissioners in explanation of the articles of charge and of the evidence by which they are to be proved; his address shall not be recorded

Section 14

Evidence for prosecution and examination of witnesses : Re-examination by prosecutor. - The oral and documentary evidence for the prosecution shall then be exhibited; the witnesses shall be examined by or on behalf of the prosecutor and may be cross-examined by or on behalf of the person accused. The prosecutor shall be entitled to re-examine the witnesses on any points on which they have been cross-examined, but not on any new matter, without leave of the Commissioners, who also may put such questions as they think fit.

Section 15

Power to admit or call for new evidence for prosecution : Accused's right to adjournment. - If it shall appear necessary before the close of the case for the prosecution, the Commissioners may in their discretion allow the prosecutor to exhibit evidence not included in the list given to the person accused shall be entitled to have, if he demands it, an adjournment of the proceedings for three clear days, before the exhibition of such new evidence exclusive of the day of adjournment and of the day on which the proceedings are adjourned.

Section 16

Defence of accused to be recorded only when written. - When the case of the prosecution is closed, the person accused shall be required to make his defence orally or in writing as he shall prefer. If made orally it shall not be recorded; if made in writing, it shall be recorded, after being openly read and in that case a copy shall be given at the time to the prosecutor

Section 17

Evidence for defence and examination of witnesses. - The evidence for the defence shall then be exhibited, and the witnesses examined who, shall be liable to cross-examination and to examination by the Commissioners according to the like rules as the witnesses for the prosecution-

Section 18

Notice of oral evidence. - The Commissioners or some person appointed by them shall take notes in Hindi of all the oral evidence, which shall be read alone to each witness by whom the same was given, and, if necessary explained to him, and shall be recorded with the proceedings.

Section 19

Inquiry when closed with defence : Prosecutor when entitled to reply and give evidence: Accused not entitled to adjournment.

- If the person accused makes only an oral defence, and exhibits no evidence, the inquiry shall end with his defence, if he records a written defence, or exhibits evidence, the prosecutor shall be entitled to a general oral reply on the whole case and may also exhibit evidence to contradict any evident exhibited for the defence, in which case the person accused shall not be entitled to any adjournment of the proceedings, although such new evidences were not included in the list furnished to him.

Section 20

Power to require amendment of charge and to adjourn : Reasons for refusing adjournment to be recorded. - When the Commissioners shall be of opinion that the articles of charge or any of them are not drawn with sufficient clearness and precision the Commissioners may, in their discretion require the same to be amended, and may thereupon, on the application of the person accused, adjourn the inquiry for a reasonable time. The Commissioners may also, if they think fit, adjourn the inquiry from time to time, on the application of either the prosecutor or the person accused on the ground of sickness or unavoidable absence of any witness or other reasonable cause. When such application if made and refused the Commissioner shall record the application and their reasons for refusing to comply with it.

Section 21

Report of Commissioners' proceedings. - After the close of the inquiry the Commissioners shall forthwith report to Government their proceedings under the commission and shall send with the record thereof their opinion upon each of the articles of charge separately, with such observation as think fit on the whole case.

Section 22

Power to call for further evidence or explanation : Inquiry into additional articles of charge : Reference of report of special Commissioners' final orders. - The Government, on consideration of the report of the Commissioners may order, them to take further evidence, or give further explanation of their opinions. It may also order additional articles of charge to be framed, in which case the inquiry into the truth of such additional articles shall be made in the same manner as is herein directed with aspect to the original charges. When special Commissioners have been appointed, the Government may also, if it thinks fit, refer the report of the Commissioners to the Court or the authority to which the person accused is subordinate, further opinion on the case; and will without undue delay finally pass such orders thereon as appear just and consistent with its powers in such cases, and while passing such orders the Government may, if the Commissioners so re-commend, grant some money to the accuser by way of reward or compensation.

Section 23

Saving of power of removal without inquiry under Act. - Nothing in this Act shall be construed to affect,- (a)the authority of the Government for suspending or removing any public servant for any cause without an inquiry under this Act; (b)the provisions of any rules framed under Article 309 of the Constitution of India.

Section 24

Repeals. - As soon as this Act comes into force all Acts and other laws, rules and regulations dealing with the inquiries into the behaviour of such public servants as are dealt with by this Act in force in any part of Madhya Bharat, shall stand repealed : Provided that those cases which have been already instituted and are being dealt with under those Acts, laws, rules or regulations shall continue to be so dealt with as if those Acts, laws, rules or regulations had not been so repealed.

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