Yes, the District Deputy Registrar has the power to appoint a commission under the Maharashtra Money Lending (Regulation) Act, 2014. (!) (!) (!) (!) (!) (!) [4000708560009][4000708560010][4000708560012][4000708560014]

Section 15 of the Act explicitly grants the District Registrar (including the District Deputy Registrar for proceedings under Sections 14 and 18) powers analogous to a Civil Court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908. These include: (a) enforcing attendance of any person and examining on oath; (b) compelling production of documents and material objects; and (c) issuing commissions for examination of witnesses. (!) (!) (!) (!) (!) (!) [4000708560009][4000708560012][4000708560014]

This power extends to referring disputed documents, such as handwriting samples, to an expert for verification, as it falls within the scope of evaluating documentary evidence to determine the nature of a money-lending transaction. Rule 17(9) and (10) of the Money Lending Regulation Rules, 2014, further supports the authority's ability to inspect documents and examine persons to ascertain the real nature of the transaction. [4000708560010][4000708560012][4000708560014]

The court emphasized a liberal interpretation of these provisions to achieve the benevolent object of the social legislation, rejecting narrow interpretations that would render the authority powerless in disputed evidence matters. The order directing referral to a handwriting expert was upheld as within jurisdiction, quashing the revisional authority's contrary finding. [4000708560012][4000708560013][4000708560014] (!) (!) (!)