66AForfeiture of office

##### 66A Forfeiture of office (1) Where an officer is absent from duty without permission, and has been so absent for a continuous period of not less than 4 weeks, the relevant Secretary may send to him by security post addressed to him at his address last known to the Secretary a notice informing him that unless within a period of 2 weeks from and including the date on which the notice was sent: (a) he returns to duty; or (b) he explains his absence and seeks the permission of the Secretary for any further period of absence that may be necessary having regard to that explanation; he will be deemed to have retired from the Service upon the expiration of that period of 2 weeks. (2) Where an officer to whom a notice under subsection (1) has been sent does not, within the period of 2 weeks from and including the date on which the notice was so sent: (a) return to duty; or (b) explain his absence and seek the permission of the Secretary for a further period of absence; and the notice has not been revoked under subsection (5), he shall be deemed to have retired from the Service on the day following the expiration of that period of 2 weeks. (3) Where a notice has been sent to an officer under subsection (1) and, within the period of 2 weeks after that notice was so sent, the officer explains his absence and seeks the permission of the Secretary for a further period of absence, the Secretary shall, as soon as practicable, consider the matter and may, by notice in writing sent to him by security post addressed to him at his address last known to the Secretary, inform him: (a) that he has been granted leave of absence for such period and on such conditions as are specified in the notice; or (b) that he is required to return to duty and that, unless he returns to duty within a specified period (being a period of at least 2 weeks from and including the date on which the notice is sent) he will be deemed to have retired from the Service upon the expiration of the period so specified. (4) Where an officer who is required by a notice sent to him under subsection (3) to return to duty does not return to duty within the period referred to in the notice and the notice is not revoked under subsection (5), he shall be deemed to have retired from the Service on the day following the expiration of that period. (5) The Board may, at any time before an officer is to be deemed to have retired from the Service under this section, by notice in writing sent to the officer by security post addressed to him at his address last known to the Board, revoke a notice previously sent to the officer under this section, and the notice is then void and of no effect.