Definitions

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, - (a) “Accountability” means the answerability of the public servant for various acts of omission and commission in the delivery of public service; (b) “Appellant” means a person who has filed an appeal or revision under this Act; (c) “Appellate Authority” means an officer, notified as such under section 3; (d) “Chief Commissioner” means the Chief Commissioner appointed under section 12; (e) “Commission” means the Punjab Transparency and Accountability Commission, constituted under section 12; (f) “Department" means the concerned department of the Government of Punjab; (g) “Designated Officer” means an officer or official notified as such under section 3 for providing public service to the eligible person; (h) “electronic mode” means any method, process or application to deliver any service electronically including, but not limited to Government to Government, Government to citizen or Government to business transactions, data interchange and other digital supply transactions whether conducted by e-mail, mobile devices, social media, cloud computing, document management, voice or data transmission or otherwise; (i) “electronic service delivery” means the delivery of public service through electronic mode; (j) “eligible person” means a person who is eligible for obtaining a public service notified under section 3; (k) “Government” means the Government of Punjab in the Department of Governance Reforms and Public Grievances; (l) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act; (m) “public authority” means,— (a) any department or authority of the Government; (b) any organization or authority or body or corporation or institution or a local authority, established or constituted- (i) by or under the Constitution of India, in the State; (ii) by or under any law made by the Parliament or the Legislature of the State of Punjab; (iii) by notification issued by the Government of Punjab; (c) and includes, an institution, a co-operative society, a Government Company or an authority in which the State Government has substantial control; (n) “public service” includes the service notified from time to time under section 3, whether electronic or other service; (o) “section” means section of this Act; (p) “stipulated time limit” means the maximum time as specified by the Government to provide the public service by the Designated Officer or to decide the appeal by the Appellate Authority; and (q) “transparency” means the duty of a public servant to act in an accountable and transparent manner.