(1) Apex Authority shall guide, supervise and monitor all other Competent Authorities and ensure compliance with the provisions of the Act and these rules.
(2) Each Competent Authority shall function independently as per the provisions of the Act and these rules and shall remain uninfluenced by any external factors or influences.
(3) State Authority shall counsel Group C and D forest officers and other officials first. It shall be followed by Circle and Divisional Authorities respectively.
(4) Chairpersons of the each Competent Authorities shall be responsible for taking the initiative and making the counseling effective and efficient.
(5) Counseling work is a collective responsibility. Chairpersons and members of the Competent Authorities shall personally attend to the counseling work.
(6) Counseling shall be done based on the data available online on the departmental website.
(7) The Competent Authorities shall take decisions by consensus. If there is no consensus, decisions shall be taken by majority vote.
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(8) Decisions once taken cannot be reviewed or revised by the same Authority.
(9) Proceedings and orders of each Authority shall be signed by all the members.
(10) The Chairperson shall maintain all the records at his office. He shall be responsible for defending the decision taken.
(11) Orders of an Authority shall not be interfered by a higher Authority without issuing a notice and hearing the lower Authority.