20. Postponement of liability

Subject to this section, any person liable to undergo national service training may apply in the prescribed manner to the proper authority for a certificate of postponement of liability to be called up for national service training on the ground that exceptional hardship would ensue if he were so called up, and may on that ground apply in the prescribed manner to the proper authority for the renewal of any postponement certificate granted to such person.

An application for a postponement certificate or the renewal of the certificate made under this section shall be determined by the proper authority.

An appeal shall lie to the Council from any refusal by the proper authority to grant or renew a postponement certificate.

An application for the grant of a postponement certificate may be made within ten days after the publication of the order made under section 16, or within such extended time as the proper authority may in its discretion allow; and an application for the renewal of a postponement certificate may be made within thirty days before the expiration of the period for which that certificate was granted or last renewed.

The Minister may make regulations as to the principles to be applied, and the circumstances to which regard is or is not to be had, in considering any application under subsection (1) for the grant or renewal of a postponement certificate, and as to the period for which a postponement certificate may be granted or renewed.