Appeal against orders of punishment

(1) An appeal against any order of punishment passed against an officer under this Act or any rules made thereunder, shall lie:- (a) where the order is passed by the Director General of Police, to the State Government; and (b) where the order is passed by an officer subordinate to the Director General of Police, to the officer next higher in rank in the Police hierarchy who passed such order. (2) No appeal shall lie after a period of 45 (forty-five) days of passing the order of punishment: Provided that the State Government or the Director General of Police may relax the period within which the appeal should be filed for just and sufficient reasons to be recorded in writing.