• 1. A member of the general board who acts in violation of Article 33, paragraph 1, of the Water Board Act may be suspended from office by the chairperson of the representative body of the water board. The chairperson shall submit the matter to the decision of the representative body at its next meeting.

• 2. The representative body of the water board may, after giving the suspended person the opportunity to defend themselves orally, revoke their membership. If they find no grounds for doing so, they shall lift the suspension.

• 3. The representative body of the water board may also, ex officio, declare a member who acts in violation of Article 33, paragraph 1, of the Water Board Act, after giving him or her the opportunity to defend himself orally, expelled from his membership.

• 4. The decision of the representative body of the water board, referred to in the second and third paragraphs, shall be communicated immediately to the interested party.

• 5. The effect of a decision containing the expulsion shall be suspended until the period for appeal has expired or, if an appeal has been lodged, until a decision has been made on the appeal. If the expulsion was made ex officio, the member of the general board shall be suspended from his or her position during this period.

• 6. If a member of the general board, as referred to in the first paragraph, has been irrevocably expelled from his or her membership pursuant to this article, the chair of the water board shall notify the chair of the central electoral committee thereof.