Not Corrected See India, Code OF’ 1573 Mines and Minerats (Regulation and Devetopment) 799 licence or mining lease the acquisition of which has resulted in such maximum area being exceeded shall be deemed to be void. 2O The provisions of this Act and the rules made thereunder Act and shall apply in-relation to the renewal after the commencement of this Act of any prospecting licence or mining lease granted before such all renewalO commencement as they apply in relation to the renewal of a prospecting licence or mining lease granted after such commencement. licences and mining 1e:es. 21., (.L) Whoever cotravenes the provisions of sub-section (1) Penalties. eetion 4 shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to one thousand ripees, or with both. (2) Any. rule made under any provision of this Act rfray provide that any contravention thereof shall be punishable with imprisonment for a termwhich may extend to si months, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both, and in the case of a continuing contravention, with an additional fine which may extend to one hundred rupees for every day during which such contravention continues after conviction for the first such contravention. 22. No court shall take cognizance of any offence punishable Cognizunder this Act or any rules made thereunder except upon complaint in writing made by a person authorised in this behalf by the Central Government or the State Government. 23. (1) If the person committing an offence under this Act or Offences any rules made thereunder is a company, every person who at the time the offence was committed was in charge of, and was responsi bie to the eompany for the conduct of the business of the company, sia1l be deemed to be guilty of the offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly: Provided that nothing contained in this sub-section shall render any such person liable to any punishment, if he proves that the offence was committed without his. knowledge or that he exercised all due diligence to prevent the commission of such offence. (2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), where an offence under this Act has been committed with the consent or connivance of any director, manager, secretary or other officer of the company, such director, manager, secretary or Qther officer shall be deemed to be guilty of that offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly. Explanaton.—For the purposes of tkis section,— (a) “company” means any body corporate and includes a firm or other association of individuals;
