Liability of members of the committee

Liability of members of the committee. (1) Every person shall be liable for the loss, waste or misapplication of any money or other property belonging to a committee, if such loss, waste or misapplication is reported by the Examiner of Local Fund Accounts, or other audit authority empowered by the State Government in this behalf to be a direct consequence of his neglect or misconduct in the performance of his duties while a member of the committee; and he may after being given an opportunity, by notice served in the manner provided for the service of summonses in the Civil Procedure Code, to show cause by written or oral representation why he should not be required to make good the loss, be surcharged with the value of such property or the amount of such money by the Deputy Commissioner and if the amount is not paid within fourteen days from the expiry of the period of appeal prescribed by sub-section (2) the Collector at the request of the Deputy Commissioner shall proceed forthwith to recover the amount as if it were an arrear of land revenue and have it credited to the municipal fund. (2) The person against whom an order under sub-section (1) is made, may within thirty days of the notification of such order appeal to the State Government who shall appoint an officer to hear the appeal : and the appellate authority shall have the power of confirming, modifying or disallowing the surcharge : Provided that no person shall under this section be called upon to show cause after the expiry of a period of four years from the occurrence of such loss, waste or misapplication or after the expiry of one year from the time of his ceasing to be a member : Provided further that nothing in this section shall be deemed to debar the aggrieved party from seeking a remedy in a civil court against an order made under sub-section (1). (3) Nothing in this section shall apply to an associate member.