law: Maharashtra Rent Control Act, 1999 
  40. Appointment of Competent Authority. 
  (1) The State Government may, by notification
  
  in the Official Gazette, appoint one or more persons to be called Competent
  
  Authority for the purpose of exercising the powers conferred, and for
  
  performing the duties imposed, on him under this Act in such local area as may
  
  be specified in the said notification; and one or more such Competent
  
  Authorities may be appointed for one or more such local areas.
  (2) A person to be appointed as a Competent
  
  Authority shall be one-
  (a) who is holding or
  
  has held an office, which in the opinion of the State Government, is not lower
  
  in rank than that of a Deputy Collector; or
  (b) who is holding or
  
  has held a post of a Civil Judge, Junior Division; or
  (c) who has been for
  
  not less than five years an Advocate, enrolled under the Advocates Act, 1961.