(1) For the purpose of enabling the Central Government to fix rates of wages in respect of working journalists in the light of the Judgment of the Supreme Court, dated the 19th day of March, 1958, relating to the Wage Board decision, and in the light of all other relevant circumstances, the Central Government shall, as soon as may be after the commencement of this Ordinance, by notification in the Official Gazette, constitute a Committee consisting of th« following persons, namely: —
(i) an officer of the Ministry of Law not below the rank of Joint Secretary, nominated by the Central Government, who shall be the Chairman of the Committee,
(ii) three persons nominated by the Central Government from among the officers of each of the Ministries of Home Affairs, Labour and Employment and Information and Broadcasting,
(iii) a chartered accountant nominated by the Central Government.
(2) The Central Government may appoint a Secretary to the Committee for the performance of such functions as the Committee or the Chairman thereof may assign to him, and may also provide the Committee with such other staff as may be necessary.
Constitution of Committee.
4. (I) The Committee shall, by notice published in such manner as it thinks fit, call upon newspaper establishments and working journalists and other persons interested in the Wage Board decision to make such representations as they may think fit as respects th» Wage Board decision and the rates of wages which may be fixed under this Ordinance in respect of working journalists.
Functions of Committee.
SEC. 1] THE GAZETTE OF INDIA EXTRAORDINARY 133
(2) Every such representation shall be in writing and shall be made within such period not exceeding thirty days, as the Committee may specify in the notice, and shall state—
(a) the specific grounds of objection, if any, to the Wage Board decision,
(b) the rates of wages which, in the opinion of the person making the representation, would be reasonable, having regard to the capacity of the employer to pay the same or to any other circumstance, whichever may seem relevant to the person making the representation in relation to his representation,
(c) the alterations or modifications, if any, which, in the opinion of the person making the representation, should be made n̂ the Wage Board decision and the reasons therefor.
(3) The Committee shall take into account the representations aforesaid, if any, and after examining the materials placed before the Wage Board and such further materials as have since been made available to it under this Ordinance, make such recommendations, as it thinks fit, to the Central Government for the fixation of rates of wages in respect of working journalists, whether by way of modification or otherwise, of the Wage Board decision; and any such recommendation may specify, whether prospectively or retrospectively, the date from which the rates of wages should take effect.
(4) In making any recommendations to the Central Government, the Committee shall have regard to all the matters set out in subsection (1) of section 9 of the Working Journalists Act.
(5) The Committee may, if it thinks fit, take up for consideration separately groups or classes of newspaper establishments, whether on the basis of regional classification or on any other basis, and make recommendations from time to time in regard to each such group or class.