Punishment of members on neglect of duty etc.

(1) The Commandant General or the Commandant shall have the authority to suspend, reduce in rank, or dismiss or fine to an amount not exceeding Rs. 50 on any member, of the Home Guards under his control, if such member, on being called out under section 9 without reasonable cause neglects or refuses to obey such order to discharge his functions and duties as a member of the Home Guards or refuses to obey any other lawful order or direction given to him for the performance of his functions and duties, or is guilty of any other breach of discipline or misconduct. The Commandant-General or the Commandant shall also have the authority to dismiss any member of the Home guards on the ground of conduct which has led to his conviction on a criminal charge. (2) When the Commandant-General or the Commandant passes an order for suspending, reducing in rank, dismissing or fining any member of the Home guards under sub-section (1) he shall record such order, or cause the same to be recorded, together with the reasons thereof and a note of the inquiry made, in writing and such order shall not be passed by the Commandant General or the Commandant unless the person concerned is given an opportunity to be heard in his defence. (3) Any member of the Home guards aggrieved by an order of the Commandant, may appeal against such order to the Commandant- General and any such member aggrieved by an order or the Commandant-General may appeal against such order to the Government, within thirty days of the date on which he was served with notice of such order. The Commandant General, or the Government, as the case may be, may pass such order as he or it thinks fit. (4) The Commandant-General, or the Government, may, at anytime, call for and examine the record of any order passed by the Commandant or the Commandant General respectively under subsection (I) for the purpose of satisfying himself or itself as to the legality or propriety of such order passed