(1)

It shall be the business of the seamen's employment offices-

(a) [ to issue licence, to regulate and control the recruitment and placement service, and to-

(c) to preform such other duties relating to seamen and merchant ships as are, from time to time, committed to them by or under this Act.

(3)

The Central Government may make rules for the purpose of enabling seamen's employment offices effectively to exercise their powers under this Act; and in particular and, without prejudice to the generality of such power, such rules may provide for-

(a) consultation with respect to any specified matter by seamen's employment offices with such advisory boards or other authorities as the Central Government may think fit to constitute or specify in this behalf;

(b) [ the levy and collection of such fees as may be specified for the issue of licences to recruitment and placement services, renewal of such licences and services to be rendered by the seamen's employment office; [Substituted by Act 63 of 2002, Section 4, for Clauses (b) and (c) (w.e.f. 1.2.2003).]

(c) the issue of directions by the Central Government to any seamen's employment office or any recruitment and placement service with reference to the exercise of any of its powers;

(d) the supersession of any seamen's employment office which fails to comply with any such direction.

(a) "recruitment and placement service " means any person, company, institution, agency or other organisation, in the public or private sector which is engaged in recruiting seafarers on behalf of employers or placing seafarers with employers;