Companies Act, 2013
454.
Adjudication
of penalties.
1. The Central
Government may, by an order published in the Official Gazette, appoint as many
officers of the Central Government, not below the rank of Registrar, as
adjudicating officers for adjudging penalty under the provisions of this Act in
the manner as may be prescribed.
2. The Central
Government shall while appointing adjudicating officers, specify their
jurisdiction in the order under sub-section (1 ).
3. The adjudicating
officer may, by an order impose the penalty on the company and the officer who
is in default stating any non-compliance or default under the relevant
provision of the Act.
4. The adjudicating
officer shall, before imposing any penalty, give a reasonable opportunity of
being heard to such company and the officer who is in default.
5. Any person aggrieved
by an order made by the adjudicating officer under sub-section (3 ) may
prefer an appeal to the Regional Director having jurisdiction in the matter.
6. Every appeal under
sub-section (5 ) shall be filed within sixty days from the date on which
the copy of the order made by the adjudicating officer is received by the
aggrieved person and shall be in such form, manner and be accompanied by such
fees as may be prescribed.
7. The Regional Director
may, after giving the parties to the appeal an opportunity of being heard, pass
such order as he thinks fit, confirming, modifying or setting aside the order
appealed against.
8.
i.
Where
company does not pay the penalty imposed by the adjudicating officer or the
Regional Director within a period of ninety days from the date of the receipt
of the copy of the order, the company shall be punishable with fine which shall
not be less than twenty five thousand rupees but which may extend to five lakh
rupees.
ii.
Where
an officer of a company who is in default does not pay the penalty within a
period of ninety days from the date of the receipt of the copy of the order,
such officer shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to six
months or with fine which shall not be less than twenty-five thousand rupees
but which may extend to one lakh rupees, or with both.