Amendment status not verified — confirm the current text below against the official source.
Manner of conducting inquiry by the adjudicating Officer.–– (1) On receipt of the report of the authorised officer under sub-section (1) of section 20, the adjudicating officer shall cause a notice to be served on the owner of the fishing vessel in any of the manners provided in rule 16. (2) The notice shall give the details of the contravention of the provisions of Act or Rules or any of the conditions of the licence by the fishing vessel concerned and call upon the owner to show cause as to why he should not be punished for the aforesaid contraventions. (3) When a notice has been duly served and the owner fails to appear on the date fixed for hearing, the adjudicating officer may proceed to hear the matter ex-parte and pass such order on the basis of the material before him, as he may deem fit. (4) Where the owner appears and contests the notice, he shall forthwith file a written statement verified in the same manner as a pleading under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 stating the reasons why he should not be punished for any such alleged contravention of the provisions of Act or the Rules or the conditions of the licence. The adjudicating officer shall, then either on the same day or on any subsequent day to which the hearing may be adjourned, proceed to hear the evidence, if any, which may be adduced before him. (5) After the evidence has been recorded in a summary manner, the adjudicating officer may also hear the parties and pass such order as may deem fit in accordance with the provision of section 21 of the Act. (6) Every order passed by the adjudicating officer shall be communicated to the owner of the vessel and also to the authorised officer.