4Establishment and incorporation of the Brahmaputra Board

(1) With effect from such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint in this behalf, there shall be established for the purposes of this Act a Board, to be called the Brahmaputra Board.

(2) The Board shall be a body corporate by the name aforesaid, having perpetual succession and a common seal with power, subject to the provisions of this Act, to acquire, hold and dispose of property, both movable and immovable, and to contract and shall by the said name sue and be sued.

(3) The Board shall consist of the following members, namely:--

(a) a Chairman and a Vice-Chairman to be appointed by the Central Government;

(b) the General Manager of the Board and the Financial Adviser to the Board, ex officio;

(c) a member each to represent respectively the Governments of Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur and Tripura and the Administrations of Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram, and the NorthEastern Council constituted under section 3 of the North-Eastern Council Act, 1971 (84 of 1971), to be appointed by the Central Government;

(d) a member each to represent respectively the Ministries of the Central Government dealing with agriculture, irrigation, finance, power and transport to be appointed by the Central Government;

(e) a member each to represent respectively the Central Water Commission, the Central Electricity Authority, the Geological Survey of India, the India Meteorological Department, to be appointed by the Central Government.

(4) If any member, for infirmity or otherwise, is incapable of carrying out his duties or is absent on leave otherwise than in circumstances not involving the vacation of his appointment, the Central Government may appoint another person to act in his place.

(5) Any officer of the Central Government, not being a member of the Board, if deputed by that Government in this behalf, shall have the right to attend the meetings of the Board and take part in the proceedings thereof, but shall not be entitled to vote.

(6) The Board may associate with itself, in such manner and for such purposes as may be determined by regulations, any person whose assistance or advice it may desire in complying with any of the provisions of this Act and a person so associated shall have the right to take part in the discussions of the Board relevant to the purpose for which he has been associated, but shall not be entitled to vote.

(7) No act or proceeding of the Board shall be invalidated merely by reason of--

(a) any vacancy in, or any defect in the constitution of, the Board; or

(b) any defect in the appointment of a person acting as a member of the Board; or

(c) any irregularity in the procedure of the Board not affecting the merits of the case.

(8) Subject to any rules made under this Act, the Board may constitute a Standing Committee consisting of the General Manager of the Board, Financial Adviser to the Board and three other members of the Board.

(9) The Standing Committee constituted under sub-section (8) shall perform, exercise and discharge such of the functions, powers and duties of the Board as may be prescribed or as may be delegated to it by the Board.