Election of Chairman and Vice-Chairman.

(1) The Council shall elect in the prescribed manner from amongst its members a Chairman who shall, unless he ceases to be a member of the Council earlier, hold office for a period of two years from the date of his election as Chairman and shall be eligible for re-election: Provided that for a period of two years from the date of the first constitution of the Council under this Act, one of the ex-officio members referred to in clause (d) of sub-section (2) of section 3 nominated by the Government shall be the Chairman of the Council. (2) The Council shall elect in the prescribed manner, from amongst its members, a Vice-Chairman who shall, unless he ceases to be a member of the Council earlier, hold office for a period of one year from the date of his election and shall be eligible for re-election. (3) When the office of the Chairman is vacant or in the absence of the Chairman from any meeting, the Vice-Chairman shall perform the functions of the Chairman. (4) In the absence of the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman a meeting of the Council may be presided over by a member elected by the majority of the members present at the meeting.