District Level Certificates Verification Committee and its powers

CHAPTER-III VERIFICATION OF SOCIAL STATUS CERTIFICATE

(1) There shall be a District Level Certificates Verification Committee, with such composition as may be prescribed, for verification of Social Status Certificate issued by the Competent Authority under Section 4, as may be notified by the State Government having jurisdiction over one or more districts.

(2) A District Level Certificates Verification Committee shall on its own motion or on receipt of any information or reference made to it, in regard to Social Status Certificate(s) issued by the Competent Authority, verify such Certificate(s) in the manner as may be prescribed:

Provided that where any information or reference made to the District Level Certificates Verification Committee by an Employer, an Educational Institution, a Local Authority, a Co-operative Society or State Government, the Committee shall verify the certificate and report its findings to the Employer, Educational Institution, Local Authority, Co-operative Society or State Government, as the case may be.

(3) Where there is prima-facie reason to believe that the Social Status Certificate(s) have been wrongfully or fraudulently obtained, the District Level Certificates Verification Committee shall refer all information and relevant documents along with record of its findings to the High Power Certification Scrutiny Committee:

Provided that where the District Level Certificates Verification Committee arrives at an adverse finding, it shall not refer the case to High Power Certification Scrutiny Committee unless a reasonable opportunity of being heard is given to the person, whose Social Status Certificate is disputed.

(4) The District Level Certificates Verification Committee, shall follow such procedure for verification of Social Status Certificate and adhere to such time limit for reference to the High Power Certification Scrutiny Committee under sub-section (3) of this Section, as may be prescribed.