12Committees

(1)The Central Government shall, with effect from such date as that Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify in this behalf, constitute for the purposes of this Act, a Committee consisting of--

(a) a person in the service of the Government, not being the Chief Inspector or an Inspector, appointed by the Central Government to act as Chairman;

(b) the Chief Inspector of Mines;

(c) two persons to represent the interests of miners appointed by the Central Government;

(d) two persons to represent the interests of owners of mines appointed by the Central Government;

(e) two qualified mining engineers not directly employed in the mining industry, appointed by the Central Government:

Provided that one at least of the persons appointed under clause (c) shall be for representing the interests of workers in coal mines and one at least of the persons appointed under clause (d) shall be for representing the interests of owners of coal mines.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of sub-section (1), the Central Government may constitute one or more Committees to deal with specific matters relating to any part of the territories to which this Act extends or to a mine or a group of mines and may appoint members thereof and the provisions of sub-section (1) (except the proviso thereto) shall apply for the constitution of any Committee under this sub-section as they apply for the constitution of a Committee under that sub-section.

(3) No act or proceeding of a Committee shall be invalid by reason only of the existence of any vacancy among its members or any defect in the constitution thereof.