Section 26: Additional powers of Courts and Officers

(1) The State Government may, by notification in the ¹[official Gazette] confer -

(a) on a Naib-Tehsildar, all or any of the powers of a Tehsildar,

(b) on a Tehsildar, all or any of the powers of an Assistant Collector,

(c) on an Assistant Collector, all or any of the powers of a Sub-Divisional Officer or a Land Records Officer or a Settlement Officer or a Collector.

(d) On a Sub-Divisional Officer, all or any of the powers of Land Records Officer or a Settlement Officer or a Collector,

(e) On a Land Records Officer or a Settlement Officer all or any of the powers of a Sub-Divisional Officer or an Assistant Collector or a Collector,

(f) On a Collector, all or any of the powers of Settlement Officer,

²[(g) on a Commissioner, all or any of the powers of the Settlement Commissioner or the Director of Land Records, and

(h) on the Settlement Commissioner, all or any of the powers of the Director of Land Records.

(2) The powers conferred under sub-section (1) shall be exercised in such areas and in respect of such cases and matters or classes of cases and matters as the State Government may direct.

(3) In conferring powers under this section, the State Government may empower persons by name or classes of officer generally by their official designations.

(4) If an officer in any tehsil, sub-division, district ³[division] or other area who has been invested by name with any powers under thi ssection is transferred to an equivalent officer of the same nature in another tehsil, sub-division, district, ³[division] or area, he shall, unless the State Government otherwise directs be held to be invested with the same powers under this section in such other tehsil, sub-division, ³[division] or area.