THE RICE-MILLING INDUSTRY (REGULATION) (WEST BENGAL AMENDMENT) ACT, 1974
West Bengal Act 24 of 1974
[4th April, 1974.]
An Act to amend the Rice-Milling Industry (Regulation) Act 1958, in its application to West Bengal.
Whereas it is expedient to amend the Rice-Milling Industry (Regulation) Act, 1958, in its application to West Bengal, for the purposes and in the manner hereinafter appearing ;
It is hereby enacted follows :-
1. Short title. - This Act may be called the Rice-Milling Industry (Regulation) (West Bengal Amendment) Act, 1974.
2. Application of the Act. - The Rice-Milling Industry (Regulation) Act, 1958 (hereinafter referred to as the said Act), shall, in its application to West Bengal, be amended in the manner hereinafter provided.
3. Substitution of new section for section 9 of Act 21 of 1958. - For section 9 of the said Act, the following section shall be substituted, namely :-
"9. Power to search and seize. - Where the licensing officer or any police officer not below the rank of a Sub-Inspector of Police has reasonable grounds for believing that there has been a contravention of any of the provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder, the licensing officer or the police officer, as the case may be, after recording in writing the grounds of his belief, at all reasonable hours -
(a) enter and search any place where any rice-mill is located:
Provided that the said officer prior to the entry for searching the place should be accompanied by at least three distinguished persons for observing the operation,
(b) order the production of any document, book, register or record in the possession or power of any person having the control of, or employed in connection with, such rice-mill,
(c) examine any person having the control of, or employed in connection with, the rice-mill, and
(d) if necessary, seize and retain the rice-mill including its machineries, parts and accessories, any stock of rice or paddy as well as any document, book, register or record referred to in clause (6), for so long as all or any of them may be necessary for examination thereof or for prosecution or for any of the purposes of this Act.".
4. Insertion of new section 17A. - After section 17 of the said Act, the following section shall be inserted, namely :-
"17A. Offences to be cognizable and non-bailable. - An offence punishable under this Act or any rule or order made thereunder shall be cognizable and non-bailable.".
5. Repeal and savings. - (1) The Rice-Milling Industry (Regulation) (West Bengal Amendment) Ordinance, 1974, is hereby repealed.
(2) Anything done or any action taken under the said Act as amended by the Rice-Milling Industry (Regulation) (West Bengal Amendment) Ordinance, 1974, shall be deemed to have been validly done or taken under the said Act as amended by this Act as if this Act had commenced on the 25th day of January, 1974. |
