Section 154 in The Railway Protection Force Rules, 1987
154. Action on the Inquiry Report .
-154.1If the disciplinary authority, having regard of its own findings where it is itself the Inquiry Officer or having regard to its decision on all or any of the Inquiry Officer, if of the opinion that the punishment warranted is such as 1s within itscompetence, that authority may act on the evidence on record. However, in a casewhere it is of the opinion that further examination of any witness is necessary in theinterest of justice, it may recall the witness, examine him and allow the party chargedto cross-examine him. After that, it may impose on the party charged suchpunishment as is within its competence according to these rules.154.2While communicating the order imposing the punishment, a copy of thefindings of the Inquiry Officer shall also be given to the party charged.154.3Where such disciplinary authority is of the opinion that punishment warrantedis such, as is not within its competence, that authority shall forward the records of theinquiry to the appropriate disciplinary authority who shall act in the manner ashereinafter provided.154.4The disciplinary authority, if it is not itself the Inquiry Officer may, for reasonsto be recorded, remit the case to the Inquiry Officer for further Inquiry and report.The Inquiry Officer shall thereupon proceed to hold further inquiry according to theprovisions of rule 153 and submit to the disciplinary authority the complete records ofsuch inquiry along with his report.154.5The disciplinary authority shall, if it disagrees with the findings of the Inquiry Officer on any articles of charge, record its reasons for such disagreement and recordits own findings on such charge, if the evidence on record is sufficient for thepurpose.154.6If the disciplinary authority having regard to its findings on all or any of thearticles of charge is of the opinion that any of the opinion that any of the majorpunishments should be imposed on the party charged, it shall, notwithstandinganything contained in rule 158, make an order imposing such punishment.154.7If the authority, having regard to its findings on all or any of the articles ofcharge and on the basis of evidence on record, is of the opinion that any of the majorpunishments should be imposed on the party charged, it shall make an order imposingsuch punishment and it shall not be necessary to give to the party charged anyopportunity of making representation on the punishment proposed to be imposed.
