(1) A [sailor] entitled to be discharged under section 16 shall be discharged with all convenient speed and in any case within one month of his becoming so entitled:
Provided that where a [sailor] is serving overseas as the time he becomes entitled to be discharged he shall be returned to India for the purpose of being discharged with all convenient speed, and in any case within three months of his becoming so entitled:
Provided further that where such enrolled person serving oversea does not desire to return to India, he may be discharged at the place where he is at the time.
(2) Every [sailor] discharged shall be entitled to be conveyed free of cost from any place he may be at the time to any place in India to which he may desire to go.
(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in the preceding sub-sections, an enrolled person shall remain liable to serve until he is duly discharged.
(4) Every [sailor] who is dismissed, discharged, retired, permitted to resign or released from service shall be furnished by the prescribed officer with a certificate in the language which is the mother tongue of such [sailor] and also in the English language setting forth
(a) the authority terminating his service;
(b) the cause for such termination; and
(c) the full period of his service in the Indian Navy and the Indian Naval Reserve Forces.