Section 7A in The West Bengal Scheduled Castes And Scheduled Tribes (Identification) Act, 1994
7A. [ Issue of duplicate or fresh certificate. - (1) In the event of loss or damage of the certificate issued under this Act, the holder of the certificate may, upon an application made in such manner as may be prescribed, be granted -
(a)a duplicate certificate in lieu of lost certificate, or(b)a fresh certificate in lieu of damaged certificate.(2)On receipt of the application under sub-section (1), the certificate issuing authority, shall verify whether or not the record of the certificate, which has been lost or damaged, is available with it and, -(a)if such record is available with the authority, it shall verify the application with such record, and if the statements relating to the certificate made in the application are true and correct, or(b)if such record is not available with the authority, it shall cause a fresh inquiry to be conducted in the same manner as may be prescribed for issuance of a certificate under section 5, and if findings of the inquiry are satisfactory,it shall issue a duplicate certificate in lieu of lost certificate or a fresh certificate in lieu of damaged certificate, as the case may be, in such form as may be prescribed :Provided that the certificate issuing authority may, for the purpose of issuing the certificate under this section, give a personal hearing to the person requiring such certificate.(3)If, during the course of verification of the application with the record under sub-section (2), it appears to the certificate issuing authority that the certificate, which has been lost or damaged was issued by mistake, or by any misrepresentation of facts, or on the basis of an incomplete evidence, it may cause a fresh inquiry and ask the person requiring the certificate under this section to produce such evidence, as it may considers necessary, to determine his eligibility.(4)If the certificate issuing authority is not satisfied with the evidence produced by the person requiring the certificate under this section, he may refuse, in writing, to issue such certificate after giving such person a reasonable opportunity of being heard.] [Section 7A inserted by W.B. Act 24 of 2008.]
