Commissions of Inquiry Act 1952

• 07 Jun 2023

On 3^rd June, 2023, the Union Government of notified a Commission of Inquiry under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952 to inquire into the incidents of violence in the state of Manipur.

• The Commission shall make inquiry with respect to the causes and spread of the violence, which took place in Manipur, and whether there were any lapses on the part of any of the responsible authorities or individuals.

About Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952

• The Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952 was enacted after due consultation with State Governments to facilitate the setting up of commissions with requisite powers to inquire into and report on any matter of public importance.
• It consists of 12 sections.
• Section 2 defines, inter alia, 'appropriate Government' to mean the Central Government in relation to any matter relatable to any of the entries in List I or List II or List III in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, and the State Government in relation to any matter relatable to any of the entries in List II or List III in that Schedule.

Powers of Commission under the Act

A commission of inquiry has powers of a civil court are:

• summoning and enforcing attendance of any person from any part of India and examining her on oath.
• requiring discovery and production of nay document.
• receiving evidence on affidavits.
• requisitioning any public record or copy thereof from any court or office.
• issuing commissions for the examinations of witnesses or documents and
• any other matter, which may be prescribed.