GAYA JI, Aug. 1 -- The Bihar government has constituted the Bodh Gaya Temple Advisory Council, an advisory body to the Bodhgaya Temple management Committee (BTMC). The Council, constituted by the Governor in exercise of powers conferred under the Bodhgaya Temple Act, 1949, shall perform its duties in the manner prescribed by the State Government in accordance with the rules made in this behalf, the notification issued by government's special secretary K Suhita Anupam said. Ambassadors of 10 Buddhist countries- Bhutan, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Japan, Cambodia, Mongolia, South Korea, Vietnam and Laos and a representative of the Dalai Lama are members in the 25-member Council. Secretary, religious department, government of Sikkim/Arunachal Pradesh/Ladakh, general secretary Mahabodhi Society of India, retired IAS and BTMC former member secretary Nangjee Dorjee, joint secretary external affairs, secretary Union ministry of Tourism, secretaries of state's Tourism and Art and Culture and Youth Affairs departments, DG Archaeological Survey of India, MP from Gaya Ji, Bodh Gaya MLA, commissioner Magadh Division, inspector general of police Magadh Range, Gaya Ji district magistrate-cum-BTMC chairman and the chairman, municipal council, Bodh Gaya are the other members, the notification said. The members shall hold their office for a term of two years. The meeting of the Council shall be held under the chairmanship of one of the ambassadors as far as possible based on their availability. The move is significant in the light of some local and international Buddhist organisations long been demanding amendment in the Bodh Gaya Temple Management Committee Act 1949 to remove Hindu members from BTMC and give the control of the Mahabodhi Temple to the Buddhists. BTMC member Kiran Lama said a case was also filed in the Supreme Court by a Nagpur-based Buddhist organisation regarding this demand, in which the date of judgment was fixed on August 5....