45.   ¹[Social Security Officers], their functions and duties.

(1)  The Corporation may appoint such persons as Social Security Officers, as it thinks fit, for the purposes of this Act, within such local limits as it may assign to them.

(2)   Any ²[Social Security Officer] appointed by the Corporation under sub-sec­tion (1) (hereinafter referred to as ²[Social Security Officer]), or other official of the Corpo­ration authorised in this behalf by it may, for the purposes of enquiring into the correctness of any of the particulars stated in any return referred to in section 44 or for the purpose of ascertaining  whether any of the provisions of this Act has been complied with —

(a)    require any principal or immediate employer to furnish to him such information as he may consider necessary for the purposes of this Act ; or

(b)    at any reasonable time enter any office, establishment, factory or other premises occupied by such principal or immediate employer and require any person found in charge thereof to produce to such ²[Social Security Officer] or other official and allow him to examine such accounts, books and other documents relating to the employment of persons and payment of wages or to furnish to him such information as he may consider necessary ; or

(c)    examine, with respect to any matter relevant to the purposes aforesaid, the principal or immediate em­ployer, his agent or servant, or any person found in such factory, establishment, office or other premises, or any person whom the said ²[Social Security Officer] or other official has reasonable cause to believe to be or to have been an employee;

³[(d) make copies of, or take extracts from, any register, account book or other document maintained in such factory, establishment, office or other premises ;

(e)    exercise such other powers as may be prescribed.]

(3)   A ²[Social Security Officer] shall exercise such functions and perform such duties as may be authorised by the Corporation or as may be specified in the regulations.

⁴[(4)    Any officer of the Corporation authorised in this behalf by it may, carry out re-inspection or test inspection of the records and returns submitted under section 44 for the purpose of verifying the correctness and quality of the inspection carried out by a Social Security Officer.]

Note:

1. Subs. by Act 18 of 2010, s. 8, for “Inspectors” (w.e.f. 1-6-2010).

2. Subs. by s. 8, ibid., for “Inspector” (w.e.f. 1-6-2010).

3. Ins. by Act 53 of 1961, s. 13 (w.e.f.

4. Ins. by Act 18 of 2010, s. 8 (w.e.f. 1-6-2010).