Section 25B: Adjudication of penalties

-(1) For the purposes of adjudication of penalties under section 25A, for contravention of the rules relating to mining plan, mine closure plan, submission of reports to Indian Bureau of Mines or other authority subordinate to the Central Government and other functions of Central Government or an authority or officer subordinate to such Government, the Central Government shall appoint an officer not below the rank of Deputy Secretary to the Government of India as an adjudicating officer, for holding an inquiry and imposing penalties in the manner, as may be prescribed by the Central Government:

Provided that the Central Government may appoint as many adjudicating officers as may be required.

(2) The State Government, for the purpose of determining the penalties under section 25A, other than those covered under sub-section (1), shall appoint an officer not below the rank of Joint Secretary to the State Government to be the adjudicating officer, for holding an inquiry and imposing penalties in the manner, as may be prescribed by the Central Government:

Provided that the Central Government may appoint as many adjudicating officers as may be required.

Provided further that no such penalty shall be imposed without giving the person concerned a reasonable opportunity of being heard.]