Penalty and Compensation for mala fide action

23.

1. (1) The Designated Authority or the State Appellate Authority may impose a lump sum penalty against a designated officer responsible for rendering of service to which the applicant is entitled, or against a Grievance Redressal Officer, for acting in a mala fide manner or for having failed to discharge his duties without any sufficient and reasonable cause, which shall not be less than one thousand rupees and may extend up to ten thousand rupees, which shall be recovered from the salary of the official against whom penalty has been imposed: Provided that the concerned officer shall be given a reasonable opportunity of being heard before any penalty is imposed on him under this