Section 30A. Adjudication of penalties.

1[30A. Adjudication of penalties.--(1) For the purposes of adjudging the penalties under sections 26, 27, 29 and 30, the Secretary to the Board shall appoint an officer not below the rank of Director in the Board or any other officer authorised by the Central Government, as the case may be, to be an adjudicating officer for holding an inquiry and imposing penalty in the manner as may be prescribed, after giving any person concerned a reasonable opportunity of being heard. (2) Whoever is aggrieved by any order of the adjudicating officer may prefer an appeal to the Secretary to the Board, within a period of sixty days from the date of receipt of such order in such form and manner as may be prescribed. (3) An appeal may be admitted after the expiry of the period of sixty days if the appellant satisfies the Secretary to the Board that he had sufficient cause for not preferring the appeal within that period. (4) No appeal shall be disposed of unless the appellant has been given a reasonable opportunity of being heard. (5) An appeal under sub-section (2) shall be disposed of within sixty days from the date of filing (6) The amount of penalty imposed under sub-section (1), if not paid, shall be recovered as an arrear of land revenue.]