Amendment status not verified — confirm the current text below against the official source.
Jurisdiction of Magistrate.- Any prosecution under this Act or under any rule, regulation or bye-law made thereunder may, save as therein otherwise provided, be instituted before any Magistrate, and every fine or penalty imposed under or by virtue of this Act or any rule, regulation or bye-law made thereunder and also all claims to compensation or other expenses for the recovery of which no special provision is otherwise made in this Act, may be recovered on application, to such Magistrate by the distress and sale of any movable property within the limits of his jurisdiction belonging to the person from whom the money is claimed. 2[1[296A. Grievance Redressal Authority.– (1) The State Government may, by notification in the official gazette, constitute for every District a Grievance Redressal Authority consisting of a retired 3[district judge or a retired]3 officer not below the rank of special deputy commissioner. (2) The State Government shall provide necessary staff to the grievance redressal authority. (3) The office of the Grievance Redressal Authority shall remain open during the business hours of panchayat on all working days of the week; (4) The salary and other allowances of the Grievance Redressal Authority shall be the same which he was entitled to prior to his retirement minus pension; (5) The Grievance Redressal Authority shall communicate the decision of the Grievance Redressal Authority to the aggrieved citizen within such period as may be prescribed. 180 (6) The Grievance Redressal Authority shall, immediately after the expiry of the period prescribed for the communication of the decision of the district grievance redressal officer, report every complaint of which has not been redressed along with the details of the complainant, nature of complaint, and reasons for non-redressal,- (i) in respect Gram Panchayat and Taluk Panchayat to the Chief Executive Officer of Zilla Panchayatand (ii) in respect of Zilla Panchayatto the principal secretary to the government, department of panchayat raj and rural development; - for necessary action; (7) Where the Grievance Redressal Authority at the time of deciding any complaint is of the opinion that officer or officers concerned or any other person has without any reasonable cause, willfully neglects his duties required to be performed by him under this Act or refused or failed or malafidely denied to extend the service urged within the time specified or within a reasonable time such officer or person shall be subjected to a penalty of two hundred and fifty rupees each day till the grievance redressal. However, the total amount of such penalty shall not exceed twenty-five thousand rupees. The Grievance Redressal Authority may in place of the penalty recommend for disciplinary action against the officer or the person concerned, under the service rules or relevant law applicable to him; Provided that the officer or the person concerned shall be given a reasonable opportunity of being heard before any penalty is imposed on him. Provided further that the burden of proving that he acted reasonably and diligently shall be on the officer or the person concerned who denied the service urged. Explanation: for the purpose of this section: – (a) “aggrieved citizen” means a citizen who has been affected by commission or omission of the Gram Panchayat Taluk Panchayat and Zilla Panchayatwhile rendering service enjoined under this Act or any other law and includes a person seeking benefit of any scheme offered by the government through the panchayat; (b) “grievances” means and includes any complaint lodged by a aggrieved citizen regarding the commission or omission of action required to be taken by Gram Panchayat, Taluk Panchayat and Zilla Panchayat in respect of: – (i) water supply; (ii) maintenance of health; (iii) maintenance of Road; (iv) maintenance of street lights; (v) identification of beneficiaries of any scheme or project; (vi) allocation of benefit of any scheme or project; (vii) maintenance of sanitation; (viii) grant or issue of any documents or certificate; (ix) any other matter as may be prescribed]2