Public Liability Insurance Rules, 1991
5. Powers of Collector
(i) The Collector may follow such summary procedure for conducting an inquiry on an application for relief under the Act, as he thinks fit.
(ii) The Collector shall have all the powers of a civil court for the following purposes, namely:-
(a) summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person and examining him on oath;
(b) requiring the discovery and production of documents;
(c) receiving evidence on affidavits;
(d) subject to the provisions of sections 123 and 124 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, requisitioning any public record or documents or copy of such record or document from any office;
(e) issuing commissions for the examination of witnesses or documents;
(f) dismissing an application for default or proceeding ex parte;
(g) setting aside any order of dismissal of any application for default or any order passed by it ex parte;
(h) inherent powers of a civil court as saved under section 151 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908.