Section 20: Confirmation of scheme

(1) The State Government may by notification in the Official Gazette appoint one or more persons to be Settlement Officers (Consolidation) and, by like notification, specify the area in which each such officer shall have jurisdiction. The Consolidation Officer in the area under the jurisdiction of the Settlement Officer (Consolidation) shall be subordinate to him subject to any conditions which may be prescribed. (2) If no objections are received to the draft scheme published under sub-section (1), or within sixty days of its publication to the amended draft scheme published under sub-section (2) of section 19, as the case may be the Settlement Officer (Consolidation) shall confirm the scheme. (3) If any objections are received to the amended draft scheme published under sub-section (2) of section 19, the Settlement Officer (Consolidation) shall, after taking the objections into consideration, either confirm the scheme with or without modifications or refuse to confirm it. In case of such refusal, the Settlement Officer (Consolidation) shall return the draft scheme to the Consolidation Officer for reconsideration and resubmission with such directions as may be necessary. (4) Upon the confirmation of the scheme under sub-section (2) or sub-section (3) the scheme as confirmed shall be published in the prescribed manner in the area concerned.