Liability to deliver Lok Sewa in stipulated time, imposition, recovery and payment of cost

(1) The Designated Officer shall provide the service notified under Section 3 within the stipulated time limit. (2) If the Designated Officer fails to provide the service or is of the view that the service cannot be provided, he shall inform the applicant in writing. (3) The Appellate Authority may impose a penalty on the Designated Officer for failure to provide service without sufficient cause. (4) The amount of penalty imposed shall be recoverable from the Designated Officer and may be awarded as compensation to the applicant. (1) Every department shall designate the person(s) responsible for delivering Lok Sewa from the date of commencement of this Act, and the post or posts of such designation shall be displayed in some conspicuous part of the department for the information of general public. (2) Every person responsible for delivering Lok Sewa referred to in sub-section (1) shall deliver such services in accordance with the notification under Section 3. (3) Every application for Lok Sewa shall be acknowledged by the person responsible for delivering the service or by the department, as the case may be, and every applicant shall be entitled to obtain the status of his application in the manner as may be prescribed. (4) Every person responsible for delivering Lok Sewa who fails to deliver such services within the stipulated time shall be liable to pay costs at the rate of one hundred rupees for each day during the period of delay, if any, subject to a maximum cost of one thousand rupees, which shall be recoverable from him towards payment to the person applying for Lok Sewa in respect of failure to obtain such service: Provided that, no costs shall be recovered from the person responsible for delivering Lok Sewa unless he has been served with a notice and has been accorded a reasonable opportunity to be heard by the Competent Officer, in the manner as may be prescribed: Provided further that, no costs shall be recoverable, where the application for such service is deficient in any manner and such deficiency has been indicated in the acknowledgement delivered under sub-section (3): Provided also that, no costs shall be recoverable, where the delay in delivering such services, in the opinion of the Competent Officer, owing to reasons beyond the control of the person responsible for delivering Lok Sewa. (5) The manner of recovery of costs and payment to the applicant under sub-section (4) shall be as may be prescribed. Each Officer designated by department shall authorise his sub-ordinate officer/employee to receive the applications, examine them and to issue the acknowledgement to the applicant for the public services provided by his office. Each Officer dl.-.~signated by department shall authorise l ,is sub-ordinate officer/employee tll receive the applrcations, examine them and to issue the acknowledgen.,ent to the appl icant for the public servk :es provided by his office.