(1) With effect from such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint, there shall be constituted, for the purposes of this Act, a body to be known as the General Council.
     (2) The General Council shall consist of the following members, namely:—
         (a) the Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas in the Central Government, ex officio, who shall be the Chairperson;
         (b) the Chairman, Indian Oil Corporation Limited, ex officio;
         (c) the Chairman and Managing Director, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, ex officio;
         (d) the Chairman and Managing Director, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, ex officio;
         (e) the Chairman and Managing Director, Gas Authority of India Limited, ex officio;
         (f) the Director General of Hydrocarbons, ex officio;
         (g) the Principal Advisor (Energy), NITI Aayog, ex officio;
         (h) the Executive Director, Oil Industry Safety Directorate, ex officio;
         (i) the Director, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, ex officio;
         (j) the Director, Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad, ex officio;
         (k) the Secretary, Oil Industry Development Board, ex officio;
         (l) the President of the Board, ex officio;
         (m) the Director of the Institute , ex officio; and
         (n) persons, not less than two but not exceeding four, representing the private entities in the field of petroleum sector operating in the country, to be nominated by the Chairperson.
     (3) The Registrar of the Institute shall be the ex officio Secretary of the General Council.
     (4) The Chairperson shall have the power to invite any person who is not a member of the General Council to attend its meeting but such invitee shall not be entitled to vote.