law: The Biological Diversity Act, 2002
  Chapter III National
  
  Biodiversity Authority
  8. Establishment of
  
  National Biodiversity Authority.-
  1.  
  
    With
  
  effect from such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the
  
  Official Gazette, appoint, there shall be established by the Central Government
  
  for the purposes of this Act, a body to be called the National Biodiversity
  
  Authority.
  2.  
  
    The
  
  National Biodiversity Authority shall be a body corporate by the name
  
  aforesaid, having perpetual succession and a common seal, with power to
  
  acquire, hold and dispose of property, both movable and immovable, and to
  
  contract, and shall by the said name sue and be sued.
  3.  
  
    The
  
  head office of the National Biodiversity Authority shall be at Chennai and the
  
  National Biodiversity Authority may, with the previous approval of the Central
  
  Government, establish offices at other places in India.
  4.  
  
    The
  
  National Biodiversity Authority shall consist of the following members,
  
  namely:-
  a.   a Chairperson, who
  
  shall be an eminent person having adequate knowledge and experience in the
  
  conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and in matters
  
  relating to equitable sharing of benefits, to be appointed by the Central
  
  Government
  b.   three ex officio
  
  members to be appointed by the Central Government, one representing the
  
  Ministry dealing with Tribal Affairs and two representing the Ministry dealing
  
  with Environment and Forests of whom one shall be the Additional Director
  
  Genera of Forests or the Director General of Forests;
  c.   seven ex officio
  
  members to be appointed by the Central Government to represent respectively the
  
  Ministries of the Central Government dealing with-
   
  
   i.  
  
    Agricultural
  
  Research and Education;
   
  
   ii.  
  
    Biotechnology;
  
  
   
  
   iii.  
  
    Ocean
  
  Development;
   
  
   iv.  
  
    Agriculture
  
  and Cooperation;
   
  
   v.  
  
    Indian
  
  Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy;
   
  
   vi.  
  
    Science
  
  and Technology;
   
  
   vii.  
  
    Scientific
  
  and Industrial Research;
  a.  
  
  
  b.  
  
  
  c.  
  
  
  
  
  d.   five non-official
  
  members to be appointed from amongst specialists and scientists having special
  
  knowledge of, or experience in, matters relating to conservation of biological
  
  diversity, sustainable use of biological resources and equitable sharing o
  
  benefits arising out of the use of biological resources, representatives of
  
  industry, conservers, creators and knowledge-holders of biological resources.