Standards of Weights and Measures Act, 1976
73. Compounding of
offences. –
Any offence punishable
under Sec. 50, Sec. 55, Sec. 56, Sec. 57, Sec. 58, Sec. 59, Sec. 60, Sec. 63,
Sec. 64, Sec. 65, See. 66 or Sec. 67 may, either before or after the
institution of the prosecution, be compounded by the Director or such other
officer as may be specially authorized by him in this behalf, on payment for
credit to the Government of such sum as the Director or such other officer may
specify:
Provided that such sum shall
not, in any case, exceed the maximum amount of the fine which may be imposed
under this Act for the offence so compounded.
(2) Nothing in
subjection (1) shall apply to a person who commits the same or similar offence
within a period of three years from the date on which the first offence,
committed by him, was compounded.
Explanation- For the purposes of
this sub-section, any second or subsequent offence committed after the expiry
of a period of three years from the date on which the offence was previously
compounded, shall be deemed to be a first offence.
(3) Where an offence
has been compounded under sub-section (1), no proceeding or further proceeding,
as the case may be, shall be taken against the offender in respect of the
offence so compounded and the offender, if in custody, shall be discharged
forthwith.
(4) No offence under
this Act shall be compounded except as provided by this section.