Section 16. Competent authority and appellate authority.

1[16. Competent authority and appellate authority.--(1) For every metro railway, the Central Government shall, for the purposes of this Act, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint-- (i) a competent authority; and (ii) an appellate authority, for such area as may be specified in the notification. (2) A person shall not be qualified for appointment as a competent authority unless he is holding, or has held, a judicial office, not lower in rank than that of a subordinate judge. (3) A person shall not be qualified for appointment as an appellate authority unless he is holding, or has held, a judicial office, not lower in rank than that of a district judge. Explanation.--For the purpose of this section,-- (a) "district judge" includes an additional district judge; (b) "subordinate judge" means subordinate judge in the judicial service of West Bengal, and includes any judicial officer (by whatever name called) of an equivalent rank in the judicial service of any other State.]