When a complaint is made to the Central Government or a detaining officer that an Indian ship is unsafe, it shall be in the discretion of the Central Government or the detaining officer, as the case may be, to require the complainant to give security to the satisfaction of the Central Government or the detaining officer for the costs and compensation which such complainant may become liable to pay as hereinafter mentioned:

Provided that, where the complaint is made by one-fourth, being not less than three, of the seamen belonging to the ship, and is not in the opinion of the Central Government or the detaining officer frivolous or vexatious, such security shall not be required, and the Central Government or the detaining officer shall, if the complaint is made in sufficient time before the sailing of the ship, take proper steps to ascertain whether the ship ought to be detained under this Part.