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Secretary of State, or a Vice-President appointed by
him, or in their absence a member chosen at the meeting,
 presided over the deliberations of the Council,
The presiding member possessed a casting vote in
case of an equality of votes ; but the proceedings recorded
 in the absence of the Secretary of State, required
 his sanction ; and he was empowered to act
Independently of, and even in opposition to the
opinion of the majority, recording his reasons for so
doing. All matters requiring secrecy could, moreover,
 be withheld altogether from the Council by the
Secretary of State.

The first Members of Council were nominated,
seven by election by the out-going Directors of the
Company, and eight by the Crown; and vacancies
were to be filled up by the Council in the room of
those who had been originally elected, and by the
Crown in other cases. The members were, for the
most part, persons who had resided in India for at
least ten years, and who had been in India within ten
years preceding their nomination. They were to
hold office, like English Judges, during good behaviour,
being removable only upon an address of both Houses
of Parliament.

oo Members of Council were disqualified from
sitting in Parliament ; their salary was fixed at £1,200
a year.

The constitution of the Council of India was
somewhat modified by Statute 32 and 33 Victoria