Section 12:
Committees.
(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.