The Indian Museum Act, 1901 was enacted on 18th March, 1910. Act is thus enacted to stabilize and to make more accurate law in relation to Indian Museum Act. It will come into force on such date as central government may direct. Indian Museum will have trustees and such trustees can be, governor of West-Bengal, ex-officio chairman, secretary to government of India in ministry where matters concerned to museum are handled, Mayor of corporation of Calcutta, ex-officio, vice-chancellor of university of Calcutta, accountant general , four persons to be nominated by central government among which one will be from commerce and industry which is appointed in consultation with government of West-Bengal, one person to be nominated by government of West-Bengal, one person to be nominated by council of Asiatic Society Calcutta. Thus, Trustees is separate body entity in name of “Trustees India Museum” with perpetual succession with common seal and right to hold both movable and immovable property and can be sue or sued in its own name. Thus, Trustees nominated will hold office for three years and even can be extended to one or more periods as it thinks so.
Minimum number of said body corporate in power will be six members, and quorum necessary for transaction of business at meeting of trustees shall not be less then four. Trustees can be nominated when, any trustees dies, absent from meeting for more than twelve consecutive months, desires to be discharged, refuse or become incapable to act. Property whether movable or immovable is conferred and is in control of Trustees for this act and said Museum. Trustees has power to sell, exchange, or destroy articles which are collected for museum only when there are bye-laws such as, deliver by way of loan to any person whole or any portion of article, exchange or sell duplicates of articles in such collection take or purchase it, as they think its worthy preserving them, remove or destroy any article.
Trustees have power to make bye-laws, from time to time as they think necessary, bye-laws like, summoning, holding, and adjournment, of general and special meetings, securing of attendance of trustees at such meetings, provision for keeping minute-books, account-books, compiling catalogues, lending of article which is in collection that is conferred to trustees, exchange or sale of duplicate to other museum in India, removal or destruction of such article in collection and general management of museum. Trustees can appoint officers or any servant to take care of museum. Trustees with help of Auditor-general make budget in each financial year, showing estimated receipts and expenditure for next financial year and also has to submit true and full accounts at starting of the financial year and should be published annually for general information. Indian Museum formerly belonged to Asiatic society of Bengal so any collection or addition to collection of articles which belonged to Asiatic society Bengal has to be marked and numbered and kept and preserved in Museum with such number and marks and also has to make inventory of such addition and make copy of it with due signature and send to society and society after signed again send to trustees.
All Articles which are exchanged or purchased or realized money out of sell then, such articles to be conferred with trustees. All officers appointed under act are public servant within the meaning of public servant under Indian penal Code, 1860.
by Samata. H. Joshi