National Environment Tribunal Act, 1995

9. Composition of Tribunal and Benches thereof

(1) The Tribunal shall consist of a Chairperson and such number   of Vice-Chairpersons, Judicial Members and Technical Members as the Central Government may deem fit and, subject to the other provisions of this Act, the jurisdiction, powers and authority of the Tribunal may be exercised by Benches thereof.

(2) Subject to the other provisions of this Act, a Bench shall consist of one Judicial Member and one Technical Member.

(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), the Chairperson-

(a) may, in addition to discharging the functions of the Judicial Member or the Technical Member of the Bench to which he is appointed, discharge the functions of the Judicial Member or, as the case may be, the Technical Member, of any other Bench;

(b) may transfer the Vice-Chairperson or other Member from one Bench to another Bench;

(c) may authorize the Vice-Chairperson or the Judicial Member or the Technical Member appointed to one Bench to discharge also the functions of the Vice-Chairperson or, as the case may be, the Judicial Member or the Technical Member of another Bench; and

(d) may, for the   purpose of  securing that any case or cases which having regard to the nature of the questions involved, requires or require, in his opinion or under the rules made by the Central Government in this behalf, to be decided by a Bench composed of more than two Members, issue such general or special orders as he may deem fit:

Provided that every Bench constituted in pursuance of this clause shall include at least one Judicial Member and one Technical Member.

(4) Notwithstanding anything contained in the foregoing provisions of this section, it shall be competent for the Chairperson or any other Member authorized by the Chairperson in this behalf to function as a Bench consisting of a single Member and exercise the jurisdiction, powers and authority of the Tribunal in respect of such classes of cases or such matters pertaining to such classes of cases as the Chairperson may, by general or special order, specify;

Provided that if at any stage of the hearing of any such case or matter, it appears to the Chairperson or such Member that the case or matter is of such a nature that it ought to be heard by a Bench consisting of two Members, the case or matter may be transferred by the Chairperson or, as the case may be, referred to him for transfer to such Bench as the Chairperson may deem fit.

(5) Subject to the other provisions of this Act, the Benches of the Tribunal shall ordinarily sit at New Delhi (which shall be known as the principal Bench) and at such other places as the Central Government may, by notification, specify.