(1) The State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, constitute an Appellate Tribunal to be called the Appellate Tribunal for Forfeited Property consisting of a Chairman, and such number of other members (being officers of the State Government not below the rank of a Principal Secretary to the Government), as the State Government thinks fit, to be appointed by that Government for hearing appeals against the orders made under section 58F, section 58-I, sub-section (1) of section 58K or section 58L.
(2) The Chairman of the Appellate Tribunal shall be a person who is or has been or is qualified to be a Judge of a High Court.
(3) The terms and conditions of service of the Chairman and other members shall be such as may be prescribed.
58-O. Appeals.—(1) Any person aggrieved by an order of the competent authority made under section 58F, section 58-I, sub-section (1) of section 58K or section 58L may, within forty-five days from the date on which the order is served on him prefer an appeal to the Appellate Tribunal:
Provided that the Appellate Tribunal may entertain an appeal after the said period of forty-five days, but not after sixty days, from the date aforesaid if it is satisfied that the appellant was prevented by sufficient cause from filing the appeal in time.
(2) On receipt of an appeal under sub-section (1), the Appellate Tribunal may, after giving an opportunity of being heard to the appellant, if he so desires, and after making such further inquiry as it deems fit, confirm, modify or set aside the order appealed against.
(3) The Appellate Tribunal may regulate its own procedure.
(4) On application to the Appellate Tribunal and on payment of the prescribed fee, the Appellate Tribunal may allow a party to any appeal or any person authorised in this behalf by such party to inspect at any time during office hours, any relevant records and registers of the Appellate Tribunal and obtain a certified copy or any part thereof.