Section 29 - Indian Antarctic Act, 2022

The Indian Antarctic Act, 2022

29. Suspension or cancellation of permit.-

(1) If the Committee has reasonable grounds to believe that the holder of any permit has made any incorrect or false statement or concealed any material fact in the application or has contravened any of the provisions of this Act or the rules or orders made or notifications issued thereunder or contravened any conditions of permit, it may, by order, suspend the permit pending the completion of any inquiry against such permit holder.

(2) After making an inquiry under sub-section (1), the Committee may, without prejudice to any other penalty to which such permit holder may be liable under the provisions of this Act, cancel the permit:

Provided that no permit shall be suspended under sub-section (1) or cancelled under this sub-section, unless the holder of the permit has been given a reasonable opportunity of being heard:

Provided further that the Committee may suspend or cancel a permit without giving the permit holder an opportunity of being heard, if it is satisfied, for reasons to be recorded in writing, that it is not reasonably practicable to do so.

(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1) or sub-section (2), the Central Government or the Committee may, in the interest of national security, maintenance of law and order or any other matter of public interest and without prejudice to any additional penalty to which such permit holder may be liable under the provisions of this Act, order the suspension or cancellation of such permit.

(4) Any person whose permit has been suspended under sub-section (1) shall, immediately after such suspension, stop all activities in respect of which the permit has been granted, until the order of suspension has been revoked.

(5) Every holder of a permit which is suspended or cancelled shall, immediately after such suspension or cancellation, surrender the permit to the Committee.

(6) Every order of suspension or cancellation of a permit under this section shall be in writing.