3. Establishment of Authority.—(1) The Central Government shall, by notification in the Official
Gazette, establish a body to be known as the National Environment Appellate Authority to exercise the
powers conferred upon, and to perform the functions assigned to, it under this Act.
(2) The head office of the Authority shall be at Delhi.
4. Composition of Authority.—The Authority shall consist of a Chairperson, a Vice-Chairperson
and such other Members not exceeding three, as the Central Government may deem fit.
5.Qualifications for appointment as Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson or Member.—(1) A person
shall not be qualified for appointment as a Chairperson unless he has been—
(a) a Judge of the Supreme Court; or
(b) the Chief Justice of a High Court.
(2) A person shall not be qualified for appointment as a Vice-Chairperson unless he has—
(a) for at least two years held the post of a Secretary to the Government of India or any other post
under the Central or State Government carrying a scale of pay which is not less than that of a
Secretary to the Government of India; and
(b) expertise or experience in administrative, legal, managerial or technical aspects of problems
relating to environment.
3
(3) A person shall not be qualified for appointment as a Member unless he has professional
knowledge or practical experience in the areas pertaining to conservation, environmental management,
law or planning and development.
(4) The Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson and the Members shall be appointed by the President.
6. Vice-Chairperson to act as Chairperson or to discharge his functions in certain
circumstances.—(1) In the event of the occurrence of any vacancy in the office of the Chairperson by
reason of his death, resignation or otherwise, the Vice-Chairperson shall act as the Chairperson until the
date on which a new Chairperson appointed in accordance with the provisions of this Act to fill such
vacancy enters upon his office.
(2) When the Chairperson is unable to discharge his functions owing to absence, illness or any other
cause, the Vice-Chairperson or, as the case maybe, such one of the Member as the Central Government
may, by notification, authorise in this behalf, shall discharge the functions of the Chairperson until the
date on which the Chairperson resumes his duties.
7. Term of office.—The Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson or a Member shall hold office as such for
a term of three years from the date on which he enters upon his office, but shall be eligible for
re-appointment for another term of three years:
Provided that no Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson or Member shall hold office as such after he has
attained,—
(a) in the case of the Chairperson, the age of seventy years; and
(b) in the case of the Vice-Chairperson or a Member, the age of sixty-five years.
8. Resignation and removal.—(1) The Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson or a Member may, by
notice in writing under his hand addressed to the President, resign his office:
Provided that the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson or a Member shall, unless he is permitted by the
President to relinquish his office sooner, continue to hold office until the expiry of three months from the
date of receipt of such notice or until a person duly appointed as his successor enters upon his office or
until the expiry of his term of office, whichever is the earliest.
(2) The Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson or a Member shall not be removed from his office except
by an order made by the President on the ground of proved misbehavior or incapacity after an inquiry
made by a Judge of the Supreme Court in which such Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson or a Member
had been informed of the charges against him and given a reasonable opportunity of being heard in
respect of those charges.
(3) The President may suspend from office the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson or a Member in
respect of whom a reference has been made to the Supreme Court under sub-section (2) until the
President has passed orders on receipt of the report of the Supreme Court on such reference.
(4) The Central Government may, by rules, regulate the procedure for the investigation of
misbehaviour or incapacity of the Chairperson, the Vice-Chairperson or a Member referred to in
sub-section (2).
9. Salaries and allowances and other terms and conditions of service of Chairperson, ViceChairperson and Members.—The salaries and allowances payable to, and the other terms and
conditions of service (including pension, gratuity and other retirement benefits)of, the Chairperson, the
Vice-Chairperson and the Members shall be such as may be prescribed by the Central Government.
10. Vacancy in Authority not to invalidate acts or proceedings.—No act or proceedings of the
Authority shall be questioned or shall be invalid merely on the ground of existence of any vacancy or
defect in the establishment of the Authority