Section 17. Permission by employer to join duty

(1) Except as may be prescribed, every employer, his agent or manager shall permit a member of the 1[Prantiya Rakshak Dal/Vikas Dal], who is for the time being employed by or under him, to join his duty as such and not withstanding anything in any law or agreement between him and such member in force, the period between the date of the member joining his duty and his release there from shall, subject to such consent in such employment. (2) No employer, his agent or manager, shall dismiss, remove or suspend any employee, or take any other action which may prejudice such employee by reason of his being a member of the 1[Prantiya Rakshak Dal/Vikas Dal]. (3) Whoever contravenes the provision of subsection (1) or (2) shall be punished with fine which may extend to 3[five hundred rupees].