Section 56 - Mental Healthcare Act, 2017

56. Meetings of State Authority.-

(1) The State Authority shall meet at such times (not less than four times in a year) and places and shall observe such rules of procedure in regard to the transaction of business at its meetings (including quorum at such meetings) as may be specified by regulations made by the State Authority.

(2) If the chairperson, for any reason, is unable to attend a meeting of the State Authority, the seniormost member shall preside over the meetings of the Authority.

(3) All questions which come up before any meeting of the State Authority shall be decided by a majority of votes by the members present and voting and in the event of an equality of votes, the chairperson or in his absence the member presiding over shall have a second or casting vote.

(4) All decisions of the State Authority shall be authenticated by the signature of the chairperson or any other member authorised by the State Authority in this behalf.

(5) If any member, who is a director of a company and who as such director, has any direct or indirect pecuniary interest in any manner coming up for consideration at a meeting of the State Authority, he shall, as soon as possible after relevant circumstances have come to his knowledge, disclose the nature of his interest at such meeting and such disclosure shall be recorded in the proceedings of the Authority, and the member shall not take part in any deliberation or decision of the State Authority with respect to that matter.