(1) The State Government shall, by notification in the Official Gazette, constitute a body to be known as the West Bengal Scheduled Castes Advisory Council, to exercise the powers conferred on, and to perform the functions assigned to it, under this Act.
(2) The Council shall consist of a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson and not more than seventeen other members.
(3) The Chief Minister of the State of West Bengal shall be the ex officio Chairperson and Member of the Council.
(4) The Minister-in-charge, Backward Classes Welfare Department, shall be the ex officio Vice-Chairperson and member of the Council. In the absence of the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson shall preside over the meeting.
(5) In addition to Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson, there shall be—
(a) one Member of Parliament from a Scheduled Castes constituency in West Bengal;
(b) not more than ten Scheduled Castes representatives of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly;
PART III] THE KOLKATA GAZETTE, EXTRAORDINARY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2017 3 The West Bengal Scheduled Castes Advisory Council Act, 2017.
(Chapter II—West Bengal Scheduled Castes Advisory Council.—Sections 4, 5.)
Terms of office and conditions of service and determination of allowances of Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and other members.
(c) not more than four members having special knowledge and experience of the needs and problems of the Scheduled Castes; and
(d) not more than two members, to be nominated by the State Government, by notification in the Official Gazette.
(6) The Commissioner of the Backward Classes Welfare and Tribal Development Directorate, shall be the Secretary to the Council.
(7) (a) The Chief Secretary, West Bengal and the Principal Secretary, Backward Classes Welfare Department, shall be permanent invitee members in the Council.
(b) The Chairperson may invite persons to participate in the deliberations of the meetings.
(c) The Council shall, unless earlier dissolved by the Governor, be coterminous with the tenure of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly and shall be re-constituted as soon as possible after each General Election.