Enquiry before registration by registering officer
Subject to the provisions contained in this Part and in sections 41, 43, 45, 69, 75, 77, 88 and 89, no document shall be registered under this Act, unless the persons executing such document, or their representatives, assigns or agents authorized as aforesaid, appear before the registering officer within the time allowed for presentation under sections 23, 24, 25 and 26:
Appearances under sub-section
may be simultaneous or at different times.
The registering officer shall thereupon-
enquire whether or not such document was executed by the persons by whom it purports to have been executed;
satisfy himself as to the identity of the persons appearing before him and alleging that they have executed the document; and
in the case of any person appearing as a representative, assign or agent, satisfy himself of the right of such persons so to appear.
Any application for a direction under the proviso to sub-section
may be lodged with a Sub-Registrar, who shall forthwith forward it to the Registrar to whom he is sub-ordinate.
Nothing in this section applies to copies of decrees or orders.
Explanation
Provided that, if owing to urgent necessity or unavoidable accident all such persons do not so appear, the Registrar, in cases where the delay in appearing does not exceed four months, may direct that on payment of a fine not exceeding ten times the amount of the proper registration fee, in addition to the fine, if any, payable under section 25, the document may be registered.