Section 23:
Power of entry and inspection.
(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, any person
empowered by a State Board in this behalf shall have a right at any time to enter, with such assistance as
he considers necessary, any place--
(a) for the purpose of performing any of the functions of the Board entrusted to him;
(b) for the purpose of determining whether and if so in what manner, any such functions are to be
performed or whether any provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder of any notice, order,
direction or authorisation served, made, given, or granted under this Act is being or has been
complied with;
(c) for the purpose of examining any plant, record, register, document or any other material object
or for conducting a search of any place in which he has reason to believe that an offence under this
Act or the rules made thereunder has been or is being or is about to be committed and for seizing any
such plant, record, register, document or other material object, if he has reason to believe that it may
furnish evidence of the commission of an offence punishable under this Act or the rules made
thereunder:
Provided that the right to enter under this sub-section for the inspection of a well shall be exercised
only at reasonable hours in a case where such well is situated in any premises used for residential
purposes and the water thereof is used exclusively for domestic purposes.
(2) The provisions of 1
[the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974)], or, in relation to the State
of Jammu and Kashmir*, the provisions of any corresponding law in force in that State, shall, so far as may
be, apply to any search or seizure under this section as they apply to any search or seizure made under the
authority of a warrant issued under 2
[section 94] of the said Code, or, as the case may be, under the
corresponding provisions of the said law.
Explanation. -- For the purposes of this section, place includes vessel.
Notes:
1. Subs. by Act 44 of 1978, s. 11, for "the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898 (5 of 1898)"(w.e.f. 12-12-1978).
2. Subs. by s. 11, ibid., for "section 98" (w.e.f. 12-12-1978).
*. Vide Notification No. S.O. 3912 (E), dated 30th October, 2019, this Act is made applicable to the Union territory of Jammu
and Kashmir and the Union territory of Ladakh.