In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-
(a) "Chief Commissioner" or "Commissioner" means the State Chief Commissioner for Right to Service or the State Commissioner for Right to Service, as the case may be, appointed under sub-section (2) of section 13;
(b) "Commission" means the Maharashtra State Commission for Right to Service constituted under sub-section (1) of section 13;
(c) "Competent Authority" means the Disciplinary Authority or the Controlling Officer, as the case may be;
(d) "Department" means a Department of the State Government or of a Public Authority, as the case may be;
(e) "Designated Officer" means an officer who is required to provide public services to the eligible person;
(f) "Divisional Commissioner" means the Commissioner appointed by the State Government under section 6 of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966 (Mah. XLI of 1966);
(g) "eligible person" means a person who is eligible for obtaining a public service and also includes a legal person;
(h) "First Appellate Authority" means an officer appointed by the concerned Public Authority under sub-section (1) of section 8;
(i) "Government" or "State Government" means the Government of Maharashtra;
(j) "local authority" means any authority, Municipal Corporation, Municipal Council, Nagar Panchayat, Industrial Township, Planning Authority, Zilla Parishad, Panchayat Samiti and Village Panchayat and other local self-Governments constituted by law; and also includes Development Authorities or other statutory or non-statutory bodies;
(k) "prescribed" means prescribed by the rules made under this Act;
(l) "Public Authority" means,
(a) any Department or authorities of the Government;
(b) any organisation or authority or body or corporation or institution or a local authority, established or constituted,
(i) by or under the Constitution of India, in the State;
(ii) by any other law made by the State Legislature;
(iii) by notification issued by the Government;
(c) and includes,
(i) an institution, a co-operative society, a Government Company or an authority owned, controlled or financed by the State Government; or
(ii) any non-Governmental organization receiving financial assistance from the State Government;
(m) "public services" means such services as may be notified by the Public Authority under section 3;
(n) "right to service" means right of an eligible person to obtain the public services within the stipulated time limit as notified by the Public Authority, from time to time;
(o) "Second Appellate Authority" means an officer appointed by the concerned Public Authority under sub-section (2) of section 8;
(p) "stipulated time limit" means the time limit as notified under section 3 within which the public service is to be provided by the Designated Officer to any eligible person.