Section 26. Limitation and previous sanction for prosecutions

26. Limitation and previous sanction for prosecutions. —No prosecution for an offence made punishable by or under this Act shall be instituted except within[4] [twenty-four months] from the date of the commission of the offence and no such prosecution shall be instituted without the previous sanction of the Chief Inspector. 5[26A. Adjudication .—(1) The State Government or the Union territory administration, as the case may be, for the purposes of determining the penalties under sections 22, 23, sub-section ( 1 section 25 and section 30, may authorise the District Magistrate or the Additional District Magistrate, as the case may be, having jurisdiction, to be the adjudicating officer to hold an inquiry and impose penalty, in the manner as may be prescribed by the State Government or the Central Government, as the case may be. may be, for the purposes of determining the penalties under sections 22, 23, sub-section (1) of the case may be, having jurisdiction, to be the adjudicating officer to hold an inquiry and impose (2) The adjudicating officer may summon and enforce the attendance of any person acquainted with the facts and circumstances of the case to give evidence or to produce any document, which in the opinion of the adjudicating officer, may be useful for, or relevant to, the subject-matter of the inquiry, and if, on such inquiry, he is satisfied that the person concerned has failed to comply with the provisions of sections 22, 23, sub-section (1) of section 25 and section 30, he may impose penalty: Provided that no such penalty shall be imposed without giving the person concerned a reasonable opportunity of being heard.