1.
NAME
The name of the organisation is Punjab Society,
(hereinafter called “Society”)
2.
OBJECTIVES
(a) The Society is
non-profit making organisation, but it can raise funds by subscription,
donations, grants and by other lawful methods, to achieve its objectives.
(b)
To promote Punjabi language, Literature and Culture by organising
functions, seminars and meetings and by printing literature in Punjabi and
Gurmukhy.
(c)
Modify Urdu alphabets so Punjabi can be written with its proper manor
and inform all Punjabi speaking people of these changes by any means available
to the Society.
(d)
To foster goodwill and relations between Punjabi speaking and local
community and arrange seminars, meetings etc. for this purpose.
(e)
To assist, advise and help the Punjabi speaking Community with their day
to day or long term problems.
(f)
To hold classes of Punjabi language Urdu & Gurumukhy Style,
literature and poetry.
(g)
To assist and teach physical games and organising tournaments with other
teams in this country and abroad
where necessary and practical.
(h)
To form links with teaching institutions and other bodies to support the
training of young people and to offer career advice.
(i)
The Society shall be non religious, non party political and non
sectarian.
POWERS
In
furtherance of the said objectives and not otherwise the
Society may :-
(1)
employ and pay any person
to supervise and carry on the work of the Society and make all reasonable and
necessary provisions for the payment of pensions and superannuation to or on
behalf of the employees and their widows and other dependants;
(2)
establish where necessary local branches ( whether autonomous or not);
(3)
co-operate with other associations, clubs, other bodies and statutory
authorities operating in furtherance of the objectives or of similar purposes
and to exchange information and advice with them;
(4)
bring together in conference representatives of associations, clubs,
voluntary organisations, government departments, statutory authorities and other
bodies and individuals;
(5)
promote and carry out or assist in promoting and carrying out research
surveys and investigations and publish the results thereof;
(6)
arrange and provide for or join in arranging and providing
for the holding of exhibitions, meetings, lectures, seminars and training
courses;
(7)
collect and disseminate information on all matters the said objectives
and exchange such information with other bodies having similar objectives
whether in this country or abroad;
(8)
cause to be written or printed or otherwise, such papers, books,
periodicals, pamphlets or other documents or films or record tapes, compact
discs (whether audio or visual) as shall further the said objectives;
(9)
purchase, take on lease or in exchange, hire or otherwise acquire any
property and rights and provilages necessary for the promotion of the said
objectives and construct, maintain and alter any building or erection necessary
for the work of the Society;
(10)
make regulations for any property which may be so acquired;
(11)
subject to such consents as may be required by law, borrow or raise
money for the said objectives and accept gifts on such terms and on such
security as shall be deemed to be necessary;
(12)
raise funds and invite and receive contributions from any person or
persons whatsoever by way of
subscriptions and otherwise PROVIDED THAT the Society shall not undertake
permanent trading activities in raising funds for the said objectives;
(13)
invest the moneys of the Society not immediately required for the said
objectives in or upon such investments, securities or property as may be thought
fit, subject nevertheless to such conditions as may for the time being be
imposed by law;
(14)
do all such lawful things as are necessary for the attainment of the
said object;
3.
MEMBERSHIP
(a)
Full membership of the Society will be open to :-
(1)
individuals of 18 (eighteen) years or over who are interested in
furthering the work of the Society and who have paid the annual subscription as
laid down by the Executive Committee hereinafter mentioned and
(2)
national, international and local associations and clubs or other
bodies, whether corporate or incorporate which are interested in furthering the
work and have paid the annual
subscription.
(b)
every member shall have
one vote;
(c)
each member organisation
shall appoint an individual person to represent it and vote on its behalf at the
Meeting of the Society. In the event of such individual person resigning or
otherwise leaving the organisation, he or she
shall forthwith cease to be a representative thereof;
(d)
each member organisation
may appoint a deputy to replace its appointed representative I f the latter is
unable to attend any particular meeting of the Society;
(e)
honorary members may be
appointed at the discretion of the said Executive Committee. Honorary member
shall not be entitled to vote;
(f)
the said Executive Committee shall have the
right to :-
(1)
to approve or reject
application for membership and
(2) for good
and sufficient reason to terminate the membership of any individual or
organisation PROVIDED THAT the individual
member concerned or the individual representing such organisation (as the case
may be) shall have the right to be heard by the said Executive Committee,
accompanied by a friend, before a final decision is made.
4.
HONORARY OFFICERS
(a)
At the Annual General Meeting hereinafter mentioned the Society shall
elect a Chairperson, a Secretary, Treasurer and such other officers as the
Society shall from time to time decide.
(b)
The Chairperson and Honorary Officers of the Society shall hold the
OFFICE UNTIL THE CONCLUSION OF THE Annual General Meeting of the Society next
after their election but shall be eligible for re-election.
(c)
The Chairperson and the Honorary Officers shall be ex-officio members of
the Society, the said Executive Committee and of any other committee.
(d)
The Society shall appoint one or more qualified auditors and may
determine their remuneration if any.
5.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
(a) Subject to the matters set out here the Society and its
property shall be administered and managed in accordance with this constitution
by the members of the Executive Committee by Clause 8 of this Constitution
(hereinafter called “the Committee”) which shall meet not less than four
times a year and when complete shall consist of not less than 5 or more than 15
members.
(b)
The members of the Committee shall be elected at the Annual General
Meeting of the Society in the accordance with Clause 9 hereof.
(c)
Election to the Committee shall be for three years. One third of the
Committee shall retire annually but shall be eligible for re-election, the
members so to retire being those who have been longest in the office since the
last election but not reckoning ex-officio members. As between members who have
been in office the same length of time, those due to retire shall be chosen by
lot.
(d)
In addition to the members so elected and to those serving by virtue of
Clause 4© hereof the Committee may co-opt up to 5 (five)
further members being full members of the Society whether individual or
representative or a combination of both who shall serve until the conclusion of
the next Annual General Meeting after individual co-option PRIVIDED THAT the
number of co-opted members shall not exceed one third of the total membership of
the Committee at the time of co-option. Co-opted members shall be entitled to
vote at the meetings of the Committee.
(CONT NEXT PAGE)
(e)
Any casual vacancy in the Committee may be filled by the Committee and
any person appointed to fill such a casual vacancy shall hold office until the
conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting of the Society and shall be
eligible for election at that meeting.
(f)
The proceedings of the Committee shall not be invalidated by any failure
to elect or any defect in the election, appointment co-option or qualification
of any member.
(g)
The Committee shall appoint and fix remuneration of a General Secretary
and of all such other staff (not being members of the Committee) as may in their
opinion be necessary.
(h)
The Committee may appoint such special or standing committees as may be
deemed necessary by the Committee and shall determine their terms of reference,
powers, duration and composition. All acts and proceedings of such special or
standing committees shall be reported back to the Committee as soon as possible.
(i)
No person shall be entitled to act as a member of the Committee whether
on a first or on any subsequent entry into office until after signing in the
minute book of the Committee a declaration of acceptance and of willingness to
act in the interests of the Society.
(j)
6.
DETERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMITTEE
A member of the Committee shall cease to hold office if he or she :-
(a)
is disqualified from acting as a member of the Committee by virtue of
Section 45 of the Charities Act 1992 ( or any statutory re-enactment or
modification of that provision )
(b)
becomes incapable by reason of mental disorder, illness or injury of
managing and administrating his or her own affairs
(c)
is absent without the permission of the Committee from all meetings held
within a period of six months and the Committee resolve that his or her office
be vacated or
(d)
notifies a wish to resign (but only if atleast three members of the
Committee shall remain in office when the notice of resignation is to take
effect).
7.
LOCAL
BRANCHES
The
Committee shall have power to establish local branches for the furtherance of
the said objectives. Each branch so established shall comply with and be subject
to the following regulations :-
(a)
The branch shall act pursuance of the said objectives and of the policy
of the Society and shall be subject to such conditions as may from time to time
be laid down by the Committee.
(b)
The Title of the branch shall be subject to the prior approval of the
Committee. No branch shall be entitled to use the expression Punjab Society U.K.
in its title unless at least one members of the branch’s governing body is a
full member of the Society
(c)
The branch shall be deemed to have adopted the model rules for branches
as prescribed from time to time by the Committee unless it has, with the prior
approval of the Committee adopted other rules
(d)
The branch may publish literature solely in the branch for local
purposes but such literature shall not contain any statement contrary to the
said objectives or to the policy of the Society
(e)
Representations of whatever kind to other bodies and/or individuals may
only be made by the branch through or with the prior approval of the Committee
(f)
All legacies bequeathed to the Society shall be received by the
Treasurer or other appropriate officer of the Society but, subject to any Trusts
by which legacies may be affected, the Committee shall have the power to direct
that any legacy or the income thereof shall be paid to a particular branch
(g)
The branch may be empowered by the Committee to receive donations and
any money received or raised by it may be expended by the branch in its area
solely for the furtherance of the said objectives. The branch shall make returns
to the Society in such form as may from time to time be determined by the
Committee
(h)
Subject to these regulations, the branch may generally manage its own
affairs and shall be solely responsible for its own debts and liabilities and
shall not pledge the credit of the Society or that of the Committee or of any
individual member of the Committee
8.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
(a)
An Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Society be called at such time
(not being more than 15 months after the holding of the proceeding AGM and place
as the Committee shall decide.
The
General Secretary shall give at least 21 days notice of the AGM to all members
of the Society. All the members of the Society shall be entitled to attend
and vote at the meeting.
At
such Annual General Meeting the business shall include the election of Honorary
Officers, the election of full members to serve on the Committee, the
appointment of an auditor or auditors, the consideration of an annual report of
the work done by or under the auspices of the Committee and of the audited
accounts and the transaction of such other matters as may from time to time be
necessary.
(b)
The committee may call a Special General Meeting of the Society at any
time. If at least 15 members request such a meeting in writing stating the
business to be considered the Secretary shall call such a meeting. At least 21
days notice must be given. The notice must state the business to discussed.
(c)
The secretary or other
person specially appointed by the Committee shall keep a full record of
proceedings at every General Meeting of the Society.
(d)
There shall be a quorum when at least one-tenth of the number of the
members of the Society for the time being or ten members of the Society,
whichever is the greater, are present at any meeting.
9.
NOMINATIONS OF HONORARY OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS
(a)
Only full members of the Society whether individual or representative
shall be eligible to serve as Honorary Officers or members of the Committee
(subject to Clause (b) hereof)
Nominations for Honorary Officers or members of the Committee must be
made and seconded by full members of the Society in writing and must be in the
hands of the General Secretary at least 7 days before the Annual General
Meeting.
Should nominations exceed vacancies, election shall be by the votes of
the majority of the members present and entitled to vote and such votes shall be
taken by show of hands or by ballot as decided by the Committee.
(b)
Honorary Officers or Committee members must be full members of the
Society for at least 12 months before becoming eligible for election to the
Committee.
RULES
OF PROCEEDURE AT ALL MEETINGS
The
quorum at a meeting of the Committee or any committee appointed under Clause 5
(h) hereof determine. shall be one-third of the total actual membership of the
Committee or committee for the time being (as the case may be) or such other
number as the Society may in General Meeting from time to time
(a)
The Committee shall hold at least FOUR ORDINARY MEETINGS each year. A
SPECIAL MEETING may be called at any time by the Chairman or by any two members
of the Committee of the matters to be discussed but if the matters include an
appointment of a co-opted member then at least 21 days notice must be given.
(b)
The Chairman shall act as chairman at all meetings of the Committee. If
the CHAIRMAN is absent from any meeting the VICE-CHAIRMAN shall act as chairman.
If both are absent from any meeting, the members of the Committee present shall
chose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting before any business is
transacted.
(c)
Save as otherwise herein provided, all questions arising at any meeting
shall be DECIDED BY A SIMPLE MAJORITY so those present and entitled to vote
thereat.
Arrangements
for PROXY VOTING may from time to time be made by the Committee PROVIDED ALWAYS
that no such arrangements shall be made with regards to Clause 16 and 17 hereof.
No
person shall exercise more than one vote notwithstanding that he or she may have
been appointed to represent two or more interests, but in case of an equality of
votes the chairman of the meeting shall have a SECOND OR CASTING VOTE.
(e)
MINUTES RECORD shall be kept by the Committee and all other committees,
and the appropriate secretary shall enter therein a record of all proceedings
and resolutions.
(f)
STANDING ORDERS AND RULES. The Committee shall have full power to adopt
and issue standing orders and/or rules for the Society. Such standing orders
and/or rules shall come into operation immediately PROVIDED ALWAYS that they
shall be subject to review by the Society in General Meeting and shall not be
inconsistent with the provisions of this Constitution.
10.
FINANCE
(a)
All money raised by or on behalf of the Society shall be applied to
further the objectives of the Society and for no other purpose PROVIDED THAT
nothing herein contained shall prevent the payment in good faith of
reasonable and proper remuneration to any employee of the Society or to
payment to member of the Committee or of any committee appointed under Clause 5
(h) hereof reasonable out-of pocket expenses.
(b)
The Honorary Treasurer shall keep proper accounts of the finances of the
Society.
(c)
The accounts shall be audited at least once a year by the auditor or
auditors appointed at the Annual General Meeting.
(d)
An audited statement of the accounts for the last financial year shall
be submitted to the Committee to the Annual General Meeting as aforesaid.
(e)
The funds of the Society, including all donations, contributions and
bequests, shall be paid into a bank account which has been opened in the name of
PUNJAB SOCIETY U.K. or shall open with other such Banks as the Committee
shall from time to time decide. The Committee shall authorise in writing the
Treasurer, the General Secretary of
the Society and two members of the Committee to sign cheques on behalf of the
Society. All cheques must be signed by not less than two of the four authorised
signatories.
11.
ACCOUNTS
The
Committee shall comply with their obligation under the Charities Act 1992 (or
any statutory re-enactment or modification of that Act) with regard to
(a)
The keeping of accounting records for the Society
(b)
The preparation of annual statements of accounts for the Society
(c)
The auditing or independent examination of the statements of the account
of the Society and
(d)
The transmission of the statement of account of the Society to the
Commissioners.
12.
ANNUAL REPORT
The
Committee shall comply with their obligations under the Charities Act 1992 (or
any statutory re-enactment or modification of that Act) with regard to
preparation of an Annual Report and its transmission to the Commissioners.
13.
ANNUAL RETURN
The
Committee shall comply with their obligations under the Charities Act 1992 (or
any statutory re-enactment or modification of that Act) with regard to
preparation of an Annual Return and its transmission to the Commissioners.
14.
TRUST PROPERTY
(1)
Subject to the provisions of the sub-clause (2) of this clause, the
Committee shall cause the title to :-
(a)
all land held by or in trust for the Society which is vested in the
Official Custodian and
(b)
all investments held by or on behalf of the Society to be vested either
in corporation entitled to act as custodian or trustee or in not less than three
individuals appointed by them as holding trustees.
(2)
If a corporation entitled to act as custodian trustee has not been
appointed to hold the property of the Society, the Committee may permit any
investment by or in trust for the Society to be held in the name of a clearing
bank, trust corporation or any stockbroking company which is member of the
International Stock Exchange (or any subsidiary of any such stockbroking
company) as nominee for the Committee and may pay such a nominee reasonable and
proper remuneration for acting as such.
(3)
15.
ALTERATIONS TO THE CONSTITUTION
Any alteration of this
constitution shall receive the assent of not less than two-thirds of the full
membership of the Society for the time being whether individual representative
present and voting at a meeting specially called for the purpose PROVIDED THAT
notice of any such alteration shall have been signed by the at least 15 members
and received by the General Secretary in writing not less than 21 clear days
before the meeting at which the alteration is to be proposed. At least 14 clear
days notice in writing of such a meeting, setting forth the terms of the
alteration shall be sent by the General Secretary to each member of the Society
PROVIDED THAT no alteration shall be made which would have the effect of causing
the Society to cease to be a Charity at law and
(1)
no amendments may be made to Clause 1, Clause 2, Clause 10(a), Clause
16, or this Clause without the prior consent in writing of the Commissioners
(2)
the Committee shall promptly send to the Commissioners a copy of any
amendment made under this Clause
16.
DISSOLUTION
If the Committee by
two-thirds majority decides at any time that on the ground of expense or
otherwise it is necessary to dissolve the Society, it shall call a meeting of
all members of the Society who have the power to vote, of such meeting not less
than 21 days notice (stating the terms of the resolution to be proposed thereat)
shall be given.
If such decision shall
be confirmed by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting at such
meeting the Committee shall have the power to dispose of any assets held by or on behalf of the Society. Any assets remaining after the
satisfaction of any proper debts and liabilities shall be given or transferred
to such other charitable institution or institutions having similar to the
objectives of the Society as members of the Society may determine or failing
that shall be applied for on other charitable purpose. A copy of the statement
of accounts, or account and statement, for the final accounting period of the
Society must be sent to the Commissioners.
17.
NOTICES
Any notices required
to be served on any member of the Society shall be in writing and shall be
served by the Secretary of the Committee on any member either personally or by
sending it through the post in a prepaid letter addressed to such member at his
or her known address in the United Kingdom, and any letter so sent shall be
deemed to have received within ten days of posting.
18.
INTERPRETATION
For the interpretation
of this Constitution, the Interpretation Act 1978 shall apply as it applies to
the interpretation of an Act of Parliament..
19.
The address of the Society for the time being shall be
1,
Northmead, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 2ED. England
or
as the Committee from time to time may
decide.
Committed
to amelioration of Punjabi Scripture
