27Appointment and powers of certification officers

(1) The Bureau may appoint as many certification officers as may be necessary for the purpose of inspection whether any goods, article, process, system or service in relation to which the Standard Mark has been used conforms to the relevant standard or whether the Standard Mark has been properly used in relation to any goods, article, process, system or service with or without licence, and for performing such other functions as may be assigned to them.

(2) Subject to any rules made under this Act, a certification officer shall have power to—

(a) inspect any operation carried on in connection with any goods, article, process, system or service in relation to which the Standard Mark has been used; and

(b) take samples of any goods or article or of any material or substance used in any goods, article, process, system or service, in relation to which the Standard Mark has been used.

(3) Every certification officer shall be furnished by the Bureau with a certificate of appointment as a certification officer, and the certificate shall, on demand, be produced by the certification officer.

(4) Every certified body or licence holder shall—

(a) provide reasonable facilities to certification officer to enable him to discharge the duties imposed on him;

(b) inform certification officer or the Bureau of any change in the conditions which were declared or verified by the certification officer or the Bureau at the time of grant of certificate of conformity or licence.

(5) Any information obtained by a certification officer or the Bureau from any statement made or information supplied or any evidence given or from inspection made under the provisions of this Act shall be treated as confidential:

Provided that nothing shall apply to the disclosure of any information for the purpose of prosecution and protection of interest of consumers