Penalty

Penalty:

1. (1) The Appellate Authority may, if it is of the opinion that the Designated Officer has failed to provide service without any sufficient and reasonable cause, impose a penalty, which shall not be less than five thousand rupees but not more than fifty thousand rupees.
2. (2) The Appellate Authority may, if it is of the opinion that the Designated Officer has willfully and persistently failed to provide the service within the stipulated time, impose a penalty, which may extend up to fifty thousand rupees.
3. (3) The Appellate Authority may, if it is of the opinion that the Designated Officer has failed to submit the application as per the provisions of the Act or denied to receive application or has not provided information without sufficient and reasonable cause, impose a penalty a penalty [sic] on the Designated Officer which shall not be less than five thousand rupees but not more than fifty thousand rupees.
4. (4) The Appellate Authority may, if it is of the opinion that the Designated Officer has caused delay in providing the service, impose a penalty at the rate of rupees two hundred and fifty per day for the period of delay, which shall not exceed fifty thousand rupees.
5. (5) The Appellate Authority while imposing the penalty under sub-sections (1), (2),
6. (3) and
7. (4) shall give a reasonable opportunity of being heard to the Designated Officer.
8. (6) The Appellate Authority may order to compensate the applicant for any loss or damage suffered by him, which shall be recovered from the Designated Officer, provided that the amount of such compensation shall not exceed the amount of penalty imposed under this section.
9. (7) If any Designated Officer who is aggrieved by the order of the Appellate Authority, may file an appeal before the State Commission within thirty days from the date of the order.