Architects Act amended to cap Council members' terms at three years

This Bill amends the Architects Act, 1972 to prevent Council members from holding office beyond their three-year term and grants the Central Government the power to issue directions to or supersede the Council of Architecture if it fails to perform its duties or abuses its powers.

Who it concerns: The Council of Architecture, its elected and nominated members, and the Central Government of India.

What the bill does

• Omits the provision allowing Council members to continue in office until a successor is elected or nominated, strictly limiting terms to three years.
• Requires the Central Government to notify the names and addresses of elected or nominated Council members in the Official Gazette.
• Empowers the Central Government to issue directions to the Council in the public interest, including orders to make or amend regulations within a specified timeframe.
• Allows the Central Government to supersede the Council for a period not exceeding two years if it is unable to perform its duties, defaults in performance, abuses powers, or fails to comply with government directions.
• During supersession, Council members vacate their offices, and the Council's powers, duties, and property vest in the Central Government or persons directed by it.

Also in the document

• The Bill is an amendment to the existing Architects Act, 1972.
• The Statement of Objects and Reasons cites that office bearers had previously continued beyond their terms by exploiting a legal gap, and that the Council had exercised functions beyond those stipulated in the Act.
• The Bill was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on August 25, 2010, by Shri Kapil Sibal, Minister of Human Resource Development.