24. Establishment and incorporation of Authority.—(1) With effect from such date as the Central
Government may, by notification, specify in this behalf, there shall be constituted an authority to be
called the Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority to exercise the powers conferred on, and
to perform the functions assigned to it by or under this Act.
(2) The Authority shall be a body corporate by the name aforesaid having perpetual succession and a
common seal with power, subject to the provisions of this Act, to acquire, hold and dispose of property,
both movable and immovable, and to contract and shall, by the said name, sue or be sued.
(3) The head office of the Authority shall be at New Delhi and the Authority may, with the previous
approval of the Central Government, establish offices at other places in India.
25. Composition of Authority.—The Authority shall consist of—
(a) a Chairperson; and
(b) not more than two other members,
to be appointed by the Central Government from amongst persons of ability, integrity and standing who
have wide knowledge and experience in inventory management, insurance, preservation, quality control,
agriculture banking, finance, economics, law or administration.
26. Tenure of office of Chairperson and other members.—(1) The Chairperson and every other
member shall hold office for a term not exceeding five years from the date on which he enters upon his
office and shall be eligible for reappointment:
Provided that no person shall hold office as the Chairperson or other member after he has attained the
age of sixty-five years.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), a member may—
(a) relinquish his office by giving in writing to the Central Government notice of not less than
three months; or
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(b) be removed from his office in accordance with the provisions of section 27.
27. Removal from office.—(1) The Central Government may remove from office any member
who—
(a) is, or at any time has been, adjudged as an insolvent; or
(b) has become physically or mentally incapable of acting as a member; or
(c) has been convicted of an offence which, in the opinion of the Central Government, involves
moral turpitude; or
(d) has acquired such financial or other interest as is likely to affect prejudicially his functions as
a member; or
(e) has so abused his position as to render his continuation in office detrimental to the public
interest.
(2) No such member shall be removed under clause (d) or clause (e) of sub-section (1) unless he has
been given a reasonable opportunity of being heard in the matter.
28. Salary, allowances and other terms and conditions of Chairperson and other members.—
Subject to the rules as may be made in this behalf, the salaries and allowances payable to, and other terms
and conditions of service of—
(a) the Chairperson shall be the same as that of a Secretary to the Government of India;
(b) the other members of the Authority shall be the same as that of Joint Secretaries to the
Government of India.
29. Bar on future employment of members.—The Chairperson and the other members shall not, for
a period of two years from the date on which they cease to hold office as such, except with the previous
approval of the Central Government, accept any employment in any concern in the warehousing sector.
30.Chairperson to be the chief executive of Authority.—The Chairperson shall be the chief
executive of the Authority.
31. Meetings of Authority.—(1) The Authority shall meet at such times and places and shall observe
such rules of procedure in regard to transaction of business at its meetings (including the quorum at such
meetings) as may be determined by regulations.
(2) The Chairperson, or if, for any reason he is unable to attend a meeting of the Authority, any other
member chosen by the members present from amongst themselves at the meeting shall preside at the
meeting.
(3) All questions which come up before any meeting of the Authority shall be decided by a majority
of votes by the members present and voting, and in the event of an equality of votes, the Chairperson, or
the person presiding shall have a second or casting vote.
32. Vacancies, etc., not to invalidate proceedings of Authority.—No act or proceeding of the
Authority shall be invalid merely by reason of—
(a) any vacancy in, or any defect in the constitution of, the Authority; or
(b) any defect in the appointment of a person acting as a member of the Authority; or
(c) any irregularity in the procedure of the Authority not affecting the merits of the case.
33. Officers and employees of Authority.—(1) The Authority may appoint officers and such other
employees as it considers necessary for the efficient discharge of its function under this Act.
(2) The terms and conditions of service of officers and other employees of the Authority appointed
under sub-section (1) shall be governed by regulations made under this Act.
34. Warehousing Advisory Committee.—(1) The Authority may, by notification, constitute a
Committee to be known as the Warehousing Advisory Committee to advise the Authority on matters
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relating to the making of regulations under section 51 and make recommendations for effective
implementation of the provisions of this Act.
(2) The Warehousing Advisory Committee shall consist of not more than fifteen members excluding
the members of the Authority to represent the interests of commerce, industry, engineering, agriculture,
consumers, organisations engaged in warehousing, quality control, preservation and research bodies.
(3) Without prejudice to the provisions of sub-section (1), the Warehousing Advisory Committee may
advise the Authority on such other matters as may be referred to it by the Authority.