law: The Railway Claims Tribunal Act, 1987
  18. Procedure and powers of
  
  Claims Tribunal
  1.  The
  
  Claims Tribunal shall not be bound by the procedure laid down by the Code of
  
  Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908), but shall be guided by the principles of
  
  natural justice and, subject to the other provisions of this Act and of any
  
  rules, the Claims Tribunal shall have powers to regulate its own procedure
  
  including the fixing of places and times of its enquiry.
  2.  The
  
  Claims Tribunal shall decide every application as expeditiously as possible and
  
  ordinarily every application shall be decided on a perusal of documents,
  
  written representations and affidavits and after hearing such oral arguments as
  
  may be advanced.
  3.  The
  
  Claims Tribunal shall have, for the purposes of charging its functions under
  
  this Act, the same powers as are vested in a civil court under the Code of
  
  Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908), while trying a suit, in respect of the
  
  following matters, 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.  
  
    Issuing
  
  commissions for the examination of witnesses or documents;
  e.  
  
    Reviewing
  
  its decisions;
  f.  
  
    Dismissing
  
  an application for default or deciding it ex parte;
  g.  
  
    Setting
  
  aside any order of dismissal of any application for default or any order passed
  
  by it ex parts;
  h.  
  
    Any
  
  other matter which may be prescribed.