Section 7. Penalty

(1)Where the second appellate authority is of the opinion that the Public Hearing Officer has failed to provide an opportunity of hearing within the stipulated time limit without sufficient and reasonable cause, it may impose on him a penalty which shall not be less than five hundred rupees but which shall not exceed five thousand rupees: Provided that before imposing any penalty under this sub-section, the person on whom penalty is proposed to be imposed shall be given a reasonable opportunity of being heard. (2)The penalty imposed by the second appellate authority under sub-section (1) shall be recoverable from the salary of the Public Hearing Officers. (3)The second appellate authority, if it is satisfied that the Public Hearing Officer or the first appellate authority has failed to discharge the duties assigned to him under this Act, without assigning sufficient and reasonable cause, may recommend action against him under the service rules applicable to him.