18 Procedure of the commission

18. Procedure of the commission.

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Commission shall have power to regulate -

(a) the procedure and conduct of its business;

(b) the procedure of Benches of the Commission;

(c) the delegation to one or more members of such powers or functions as the Commission may specify and subject to any general or special direction given, or condition imposed, by the Commission, a member, to whom any powers or functions are so delegated, shall exercise such powers or discharge those functions in the same manner and with the same effect as if they had been conferred on such member directly by this Act and not by way of delegation and any order or other act or thing made or done by such member in pursuance of the power or function so delegated shall be deemed to be an order or other act or thing made or done, by the Commission.

(2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provisions, the powers of the Commission shall include the power to determine the extent to which persons interested or claiming to be interested in the subject-matter of any proceeding before it are allowed to be present or to be heard, either by themselves or by their representatives or to cross-examine witnesses or otherwise to take part in the proceeding.