7Composition of the Council

(1) On and from the 1st day of September, 2001 and until the appointment of date under sub-section (2), the Council shall consist of the following members, namely:--

(a) the Vice-President of India, who shall be President, ex officio;

(b) the Prime Minister of India;

(d) the Leader of the House, Rajya Sabha;

(e) the Leader of the Opposition, Lok Sabha;

(f) the Leader of the Opposition, Rajya Sabha.

(2) On and from such date as may be appointed by the Central Government by notification in the Official Gazette ¹*** the Council shall consist of the following members, namely:--

(a) the Vice-President of India, who shall be the President, ex officio;

(b) three Vice-Presidents ²[to be nominated, in the first instance by the Council constituted under sub-section (1) and thereafter by the Council constituted under this sub-section];

³[(c) Director-General, ex officio Member-Secretary];

(d) five members of the Lok Sabha to be nominated by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and three members of the Rajya Sabha to be nominated by the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha;

(e) seven members, who are distinguished in the field of diplomacy, international affairs, international law, Multilateral or United Nations affairs, security and disarmament ⁴[to be nominated, in the first instance by the Council constituted under sub-section (1) and thereafter by the Council constituted under this sub-section;]

(f) seven members, who are representatives (of which at least two shall be the Vice-Chancellors) of Universities or research institutions of higher learning from amongst experts in the fields of history, economics and other social sciences ⁵[to be nominated, in the first instance by the Council constituted under sub-section (1) and thereafter by the Council constituted under this sub-section;]

(g) seven members, who are ⁴[either media personalities or persons from organisations] such as India International Centre, Centre for Policy Research, Indian Council of Social Science Research, Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses, Indian Council of Cultural Relations, and interested in the work and objectives of the Council to be ⁶[nominated] by the Governing Body of the Council;

(h) five members ⁷[from Business or] Chambers of Commerce, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Confederation of Indian Industry, Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India, Federation of Indian Export Organisations to be nominated by the Governing Body of the Council;

(i) three members from the Ministry of External Affairs, ex officio [Foreign Secretary, Financial Advisor, and Dean (Foreign Service Institute)] ⁸***;

(j) five members to be nominated by the Central Government to represent respectively the Ministries of the Central Government dealing with Education, Culture, Urban Development, Science and Technology and Defence, ex officio.

(3) It is hereby declared that the office of the member of the Council shall not disqualify its holder for being chosen as, or for being, a Member of either House of Parliament.

(4) A person shall be disqualified for being nominated or selected as a member if he--

(a) has been convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for an offence whi ch, in the opinion of the Central Government, involves moral turpitude; or

(b) is an undischarged insolvent; or

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1. Certain words and figures omitted by Act 5 of 2004, s. 2 (w.e.f. 7-1-2004). 2. Subs. by s. 2, ibid., for "as may be nominated by the Council" (w.e.f. 7-1-2004).

3. Subs. by s. 2, ibid., for clause (c) (w.e.f. 7-1-2004).

4. Subs. by s. 2, ibid., for "to be nominated by the Council" (w.e.f. 7-1-2004).

5. Subs. by s. 2, ibid., for "either media personalities or representatives of organisations" (w.e.f. 7-1-2004).

6. Subs. by s. 2, ibid., for "selected" (w.e.f. 7-1-2004).

7. Subs. by s. 2, ibid., for "who are representatives of Business or" (w.e.f. 7-1-2004).

8. The words ", to be nominated by the Chairperson of the Governing Body omitted by Act 5 of 2004, s. 2 (w.e.f. 7-1-2004).

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