16. Composition of the Councils.-

(1) The Zonal Council for each zone shall consist of the following members, namely:-

(a) a Union Minister to be nominated by the President;

(b) the Chief Minister of each of the States included in the zone and two other Ministers of each such State to be nominated by the Sadar-i-Riyasat, in the case of Jammu and Kashmir, and by the Governor, in any other case, and if there is no Council of Ministers in any such State, three members from that State to be nominated by the President;

(c) where any 3[Union territory] is included in the zone, not more than two members from each 12[such territory] to be nominated by the President;

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(2) The Union Minister nominated under clause (a) of sub-section (1) to a Zonal Council shall be its Chairman.

(3) The Chief Ministers of the States included in each zone shall act as Vice-Chairman of the Zonal Council for that zone by rotation, each holding office for a period of one year at a time: Provided that if during that period there is no Council of Ministers in the State concerned, such member from that State as the President may nominate in this behalf shall act as Vice-Chairman of the Zonal Council.

(4) The Zonal Council for each zone shall have the following persons as Advisers to assist the Council in the performance of its duties, namely:-

(a) one person nominated by the Planning Commission;

(b) the Chief Secretary to the Government of each of the States included in the Zone; and

(c) the Development Commissioner or any other officer nominated by the Government of each of the States included in the Zone.

(5) Every Adviser to a Zonal Council shall have the right to take part in the discussions of the Council or of any Committee thereof of which he may be named a member but shall not have a right to vote at a meeting of the Council or of any such Committee.