Term of office and conditions of service of Chairperson and Members

(1) Every Member shall hold office for a term of three years from the date he assumes office.

 (2) A Member may, by writing under his hand addressed to the Central Government, resign from the office of Chairperson or, as the case may be, of Member at any time.

 (3) The Central Government shall remove a person from the office of Member if that person –

(a) becomes an undischarged insolvent;

(b) is convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for an offence which, in the opinion of the Central Government, involves moral turpitude;

(c) becomes of unsound mind and stands so declared by a competent court; (d) refuses to act or becomes incapable of acting;

(e) is, without obtaining leave of absence from the Commission, absent from three consecutive meetings of the Commission; or

(f) has, in the opinion of the Central Government, so abused the position of Chairperson or Member as to render that person’s continuance in office detrimental to the interests of backward classes or the public interest. Provided that no person shall be removed under this clause until that person has been given an opportunity of being heard in the matter.

 (4) A vacancy caused under sub-section (2) or otherwise shall be filled by fresh nomination.

 (5) The salaries and allowances payable to, and the other terms and conditions of service of, the Chairperson and Members shall be such as may be prescribed.