Any party to a proceeding pending under this title or his attorney may cause the depositions of witnesses, either within or without the State, to be taken either by commission or de bene esse. Such depositions shall be taken in accordance with and subject to the same provisions, conditions and restrictions as apply to the taking of like depositions in civil actions at law in the courts of common pleas and the same rules with respect to the giving of notice to the opposite party, the taking and transcribing of testimony and the transmission and certification thereof and matters of practice relating thereto shall apply. In any case in which testimony shall be taken by commission, such commission shall be issued, upon request of the party or his attorney, by some member of the commission. The provisions of this section shall not be so construed as to prevent the commission or any deputy commissioner from issuing commissions for the taking of testimony, even in the absence of any application therefor, when in its or his judgment it is deemed necessary or appropriate.