The Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952

This 2023 edition of The Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952 (Act 60 of 1952, dt. 14-6-1952) reproduces the statute verbatim and incorporates the territorial update effected by the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 (34 of 2019, w.e.f. 31-10-2019 via S.O. 2889 E, 9-8-2019).

The volume also binds in the Commissions of Inquiry (Central) Rules, 1972, providing the complete procedural framework for constituting, staffing and running fact-finding commissions.

Concise short comments follow pivotal sections—highlighting digital-evidence powers, witness-protection directives, privilege-against-self-incrimination safeguards, and overlap with the Right to Information Act—while preserving full Bare-Act integrity for examinations and authoritative citation.

Core statutory coverage

• Constitution of commissions—Central & State Government powers, terms of reference, and notification requirements.

• Powers of a civil court—summoning, discovery, sworn evidence, local inspection, and requisition of public records.

• Interim & final reports—submission timelines, action-taken notes, and mandatory tabling before Parliament / State Legislature.

• Penalties for obstruction—false evidence, document suppression, and contempt-of-commission offences.

• Funding & staffing—secretariat establishment, honoraria, technical-expert appointment, and budget sanctions under the 1972 Rules.

• Interaction with parallel proceedings—coordination with criminal investigations, judicial inquiries, and parliamentary committees.

This edition is particularly suited for

• AIBE candidates and law students studying administrative and constitutional accountability mechanisms.

• Advocates & litigants appearing before high-profile inquiry commissions (e.g., riot, scam or accident probes).

• Government secretariat officers & inquiry secretaries drafting notifications, managing summons and compiling reports.

• Journalists, policy researchers & civil-society monitors tracking commission findings and follow-up action.

Exact Gazette text · pinpoint explanatory notes · zero superfluous commentary—your fastest route to clarity, authenticity and practical insight on India’s fact-finding-inquiry framework.