56. Right to legal representation.

The applicant or appellant may either appear in person or authorise one or morechartered accountants or company secretaries or cost accountants or legal practitioners or any of its officers to present his or its case before the Appellate Tribunal or the Regulatory Authority or the adjudicating officer, as the case may be.

Explanation.—For the purposes of this section,—

(a) "chartered accountant" means a chartered accountant as defined in clause (b) ofsub-section (1) of section 2 of the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949 or any other law for the time being in force and who has obtained a certificate of practice under sub-section (1) ofsection 6 of that Act;

(b) "company secretary" means a company secretary as defined in clause (c) ofsub-section (1) of section 2 of the Company Secretaries Act, 1980 or any other law for thetime being in force and who has obtained a certificate of practice under sub-section (1) ofsection 6 of that Act;

(c) "cost accountant" means a cost accountant as defined in clause (b) of sub-section (1)of section 2 of the Cost and Works Accountants Act, 1959 or any other law for the time being in force and who has obtained a certificate of practice under sub-section (1) of section 6 ofthat Act;

(d) "legal practitioner" means an advocate, vakil or an attorney of any High Court, andincludes a pleader in practice.