law: Information Technology Act, 2000
  46. Power to adjudicate. – 
  (1) For the purpose of adjudging under this
  
  Chapter whether any person has committed a contravention of any of the
  
  provisions of this Act or of any rule, regulation, direction or order made
  
  thereunder the Central Government shall, subject to the provisions of sub
  
  section (3), appoint any officer not below the rank of a Director to the
  
  Government of India or an equivalent officer of a State Government to be an
  
  adjudicating officer for holding an inquiry in the manner prescribed by the
  
  Central Government .
  (2) The adjudicating officer shall, after
  
  giving the person referred to in sub-section (1) a reasonable opportunity for
  
  making representation in the matter and if, on such inquiry, he is satisfied
  
  that the person has committed the contravention, he may impose such penalty or
  
  award such compensation as he thinks fit in accordance with the provisions of
  
  that section.
  (3) No person shall be appointed as an
  
  adjudicating officer unless he possesses such experience in the filed of
  
  Information Technology and legal or judicial experience as may be prescribed by
  
  the Central Government.
  (4) Where more than one adjudicating officers
  
  are appointed, the Central Government shall specify by order the matters and
  
  places with respect to which such officers shall exercise their jurisdiction.
  (5) Every adjudicating officer shall have the
  
  powers of a civil court which are conferred on the Cyber Appellate Tribunal
  
  under sub-section (2) of section (2) of section 58, and- 
  (a) all proceedings
  
  before it shall be deemed to be judicial proceedings within the meaning of
  
  section 193 and 228 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860);
  (b) shall be deemed to
  
  be a civil court for the purpose of section 345 and 346 of the Code of Criminal
  
  Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974).