Section 17. Government or corporate authority to be party

17. (1) The State Government or the Corporate Authority as the case may be Shall be a party to every proceeding under the provisions of this Act. (2) In particular .and without prejudice to the generality of the provisions of Sub-section (l), the State Government or the Corporate Authority, as the case may be, shall have a right to produce evidence and cross-examine witnesses and to prefer an appeal under Section 9 against an order of the Prescribed Authority refusing to make an order of eviction under Section 5 or to make an order under Section 7 requiring a person to pay rent or damages.