CONSTITUTION OF INDIAN SOCIETY OF GASTROENTEROLOGY
GUJARAT CHAPTER
Article I
The name of the society shall be the “INDIAN SOCIETY OF GASTROENTEROLOGY,
GUJARAT CHAPTER” hereinafter referred to as the Society.
Article II Office of the society
The office of the society shall be situated in the town where the Secretary resides.
Article III Aims and Objectives
a) to encourage and advance the knowledge and practice of the specialty of gastroenterology in
all possible ways,
b) to promote the exchange and diffusion of information and ideas relating to
gastroenterology,hepatology and endoscopy,
c) to provide a forum of discussion for gastroenterology related problems on a state scale
d) to encourage scientific investigations in the field of gastroenterology
e) To represent the state and country in National and International meetings and for a.
Article IV Membership
There shall be the following classes of members:
a) Life Members
b) Corporate members
Corporate Member
Any institution may be elected as a Corporate Member of the society according to the procedure laid down in the bye laws. The term “Institution” shall be deemed to include any public or private company, a firm, a society registered under any law, a duly constituted trust, a statutory body, any association or organization set up under an Act of Parliament or a State Government dealing with Pharmaceutical or allied materials.
Article V Officers and Governing Council
The officers of the Society shall be elected according to the bye laws by the members from among themselves.
They shall be
a)President
b)Secretary
c)Treasurer
The Governing Council of the Society shall consist of the officers of the Society and the following:
a) Immediate past president of the Society
b) no more than 8 members elected according to the procedures laid down in the bye laws which would include President,Secretary, Treasurer and 5 Zonal members.
c) no more than 2 co-opted members
The Governing Council shall manage the affairs of the Society solely and entirely.
Article VI Funds and Assets
The funds of the society shall consist of
a) entrance fees
b) membership fees
c) contributions, donations and grants from any source
d) income from investments
e) Gifts or legacies of immovable or movable property.
Article VII Amendments
This constitution may be amended by three fourth of those members who cast a valid vote in a postal ballot conducted as laid down in the bye laws.
Bye Laws:
Article 7.1 Financial Year
The financial year of the society shall be from January first to December thirty first of the year.
Article 7.2 Membership
1. Admission to membership.
Application for admission ta membership of the Society as a fife member or as a corporate member shall ordinarily be made in writing on the prescribed form, and shall be accompanied by payment of the entrance fee as fixed by the Governing Council, and the amount of subscription due for that type of membership. Every application must be recommended by, and bear the signature of two members of the Society. Such application shall be considered by the Governing Council who may accept or reject or deal otherwise with the same. The decision of the Governing Council shall be final. The Governing Council shall! not be bound to give reasons for its decision. Membership in the Society shall commence from the date of acceptance by the Governing Council.
Criteria for membership: Ordinarily, a person or persons who have a post-graduate medical qualification and have shown an interest in gastroenterology will alone be eligible for membership. All persons desirous of becoming members should be existing life members of the Indian Society of Gastroenterology(ISG) at the time of application.Indians residing overseas are also eligible and they shall have full rights except for holding an office of the society.
2. Election to Honorary membership
Proposals for nomination to honorary membership of the Society may be made by any two members of the Governing Council. Such proposals should be submitted in writing with the signatures of the proposers, to the Secretary, at least six weeks before the annual meeting of the Governing Council. The same will be included in the agenda of the Governing Council Meeting. A two-thirds vote of those present and voting at the Governing council meeting shall be required to elect such a member.
3. Membership fee
All Corporate Members shall pay an annual membership fee of such an amount as is determined from time to time by the Governing Council and approved by the General Body. Until otherwise changed by the Governing Council and approved by the General Body Meeting, the fees payable shall be as follows:
Application fee (non-refundable): Rs 100
Life Membership fee: Rs 2500
Corporate membership: Rs 10000 per year
Every corporate member shall pay the annual subscription for the whole year irrespective of the actual date of his admission to or cessation of membership of the Society. The annual fee shall be payable at the beginning of the financial year. Members who fail to pay the subscription by
October 1st, will be deemed to be in arrears.
4. Cessation and Termination of Membership
The Secretary/Treasurer of the Society shall send not more than two reminders by Registered Post, at an interval of not more than 2 months, to any corporate member whose subscription is in arrears.Two such reminders will be considered as adequate notices, and if the subscription is not received within two months from the date of dispatch of the last notice, the member shall cease to be a member of the Society after the Governing Council resolves to that effect.
Any member may withdraw from the Society by giving notice in writing to the Secretary of his intention to do so and thereupon he shall cease to be a member provided all his dues to the Society are paid. Life Members who withdraw their membership are not eligible to receive a refund of their membership fee.
The Governing Council by decision of a two-third majority of the members present and voting may take any disciplinary action against any member on its own, or in pursuance of a notice signed by at least two members received by the Governing Council or Secretary.
Any person, who ceases to be a member of the Society for any reason, shall nevertheless remain liable for and shall pay to the Society all debts owing, including the subscription dues.
5. Readmission to the Society
Any-person who ceases to be a member of the Society may be readmitted to the membership on such terms as the Governing Council may determine as per rules of the Society. Every such applicant shall have to pay the specified entrance fee and life membership fee unless otherwise decided by the Governing Council.
6. Privileges of Members
a) All life members are entitled to participate in all activities of the Society including the right to vote subject to the bye laws. Corporate members and Honorary members will have all the Privileges of a Life Member, but will not have the right to vote or nominate or to serve on the Governing Council or stand for any election.
7. Register of Members
A register of the members shall be kept by the Secretary, in which membership of the various categories will be recorded, setting down the names and addresses of the members. For the purposes of the Society, the address as mentioned in the register shall be considered as the valid one. Any change in address must be intimated to the Secretary and confirmation must be received from the secretary that the necessary charge in the register has been effected.
Article 7.3 Officers of the Society and Members of the Governing Council
1. The President
The President shall be elected annually from among the members of the Society who have previously served for at least one year on the Governing council. He shall hold office for a term of one year, but is eligible for re-election for a second year. No person shall be President for more than two consecutive terms. The founder president shall hold office for two years. The President shall be responsible for the affairs of the Society and shall preside at all meetings of the Governing Council and of the Society.
2. Honorary Secretary
The Secretary shall be elected from among the members of the Society, who has previously served at least one year on the Governing council. He shall hold office for a term of two years, after which he is eligible for re-election for a second term. No person shall be secretary for more than two consecutive terms.
Subject to the control and regulation of the Governing Council, the Secretary shall be responsible for carrying out all the directions and decisions of the Governing Council and the affairs of the Society as laid down in the Constitution and bye laws.
In particular, the Secretary shall
i) convene meetings of the Governing Council as laid down under Article IV of these bye laws
ii) Have administrative control over all the affairs of the Society
iii) Have charge of the correspondence in relation to the society
iv) Keep accurate minutes of all meetings of the Society, Governing Council and committees thereof.
v) Prepare the Annual report of the Society
vi) Be in charge of all the documents and property and other assets of the Society
vii) Collect all dues of the Society, and pay in all the amounts into the banking account of the Society and inform the treasurer of the amount so paid.
viii) Purchase equipment or property for the Society in accordance with the approval of the Governing Council.
ix) Make disbursements within the limits of the annual budget, and maintain vouchers and records of all such disbursements.
In exceptional circumstances, the budget may be exceeded with the approval of the Governing
Council.
x) Perform all duties as are incidental to his office and along with the Treasurer maintain the accounts of the society.
3. The Treasurer
The treasurer shall be elected from among the members of the Society and shaft hold office for a term of three years, after which he shall be eligible for re-election for a second term. No person shall be a Treasurer for more than two consecutive terms.
i) the treasurer shall have charge and custody of, and be responsible for, all funds and securities of the Society; receive and give receipts for money due and payable in the name of the Society from any source whatsoever, and deposit such moneys in the bank or banks as decided by the Governing council and will perform such other duties.as from time to time be assigned to him by the Governing Council. –
ii) The Treasurer along with the Secretary shall maintain true accounts of the funds and other assets of the Society and of funds and other assets connected with or any way controlled by the Society.
iii) All cheques shall be signed by a) the Treasurer, and b) Secretary
iv) Changes of office bearers shall be notified to the bank as per the banking laws.
4. The elected members of the Governing Council
Elected members of the Governing Council shall hold office for a term of not more than two years consecutively. The term of office of the elected members shall be arranged by the Governing Council so that at two elected members shall retire every year.
The new officers and the members of the Governing Council shall normally assume office at the end of the Annual Conference. However, if the Annual Conference is held before the election or if the annual conference is not held, they shall assume office within a week of declaration of the results of the election.
5. The co-opted members of the Governing Council shall hold office for a term of one year, but are eligible for re-cooption for a further one year term. No member shall be co-opted for more than two consecutive years.
Article 7.4 Elections
1. In the first week of February, the Secretary shall send to each member a list of the vacancies of the Governing Council requesting him or her to send nominations for the vacancies on the prescribed form. The form must bear the signatures of nominees signifying his approval and of proposer and seconder. The form must be received by the 15th of March. Any nominations received after that date will be invalid.
2. The Secretary shall prepare ballot papers and send under certificate of posting one ballot paper to each member eligible to vote, before the 10th of April.
3. Members shall send completed ballot papers to reach the Secretary by the 30th April. Papers received after that date will not be valid.
4, A President of the Society who has finished his term as past President in the Governing Council is no more eligible for election to the Governing council for 5 years from the date of expiry of his Governing council membership.
5. If for any reason, the elections are not held on the dates herein laid down, the President shall determine the respective dates to ensure that the elections are completed before the end of July of that year.
6. If the nominations received by the Secretary are less than the seats on the Governing council, the vacancies shall be filled by election at the time of the Annual General body Meeting. The secretary will circulate the list of such vacancies; invited fresh nomination duly proposed and seconded, and shall hold the election by ballot. The president is empowered to modify the mode of inviting the nomination if necessary, but all the vacancies in the Governing council will be filled by election by ballot at the Annual General Meeting.
7. The co-opted members for the coming year will originally be chosen at the meeting of the Governing Council at the time of the Annual Conference. At this meeting the current members and the members elected for the coming year may be present and have the right to vote.
8. If the annual General Body Meeting is held before the elections and if no valid nominations for a vacancy are received, the person holding that office shall continue to do so for a further year irrespective of any other provisions in these bye laws.
9. In any election in the event of a tie, the President shall have a casting vote in addition to the vote he has already exercised.
10. If any vacancy occurs in the Governing council, otherwise than by efflux of time the Governing council, notwithstanding anything contained in the above clauses, shall or can elect a member to fill a vacancy for the remainder of the year. In case of a vacancy among the office bearers, the Governing Council shall elect a person from among themselves to fill the post till the end of the year.
11. The counting of ballot papers will be done at the pre-conference governing body meeting as the last item on the agenda. Candidates who so desire, maybe invited to be present at the meeting.
12. In the event of the Secretary contesting for any post in the governing council in the last year of his tenure, the election proceedings will be conducted by the President or any of his nominees preferably in the same town where the Secretary is located.
Article 7.5 Meeting of the Governing Council
(a) The Governing Council shall meet at such time as may be necessary for the transaction of the business of the society. At least one meeting will be called at the time of the annual conference before the Annual General Meeting.
(b) A meeting of the Governing Council may be convened by the Honorary Secretary with the consent of the President. The Secretary shall convene special meeting of the Governing Council upon receiving a requisition in writing signed by not less than six members thereof. At least two weeks previous notice shall be given to the members of the Governing Council for any meeting of the Governing Council unless all the members otherwise agree.
(c) Non-attendance of a member at 3 consecutive meetings of the Governing Council, without permission, shall constitute a vacancy, but the Council shall have powers to reinstate the individual after obtaining proper explanation for his or her absence.
(d) A resolution may be passed by circulation among the members of the Governing Council who are in India and if the majority expresses their opinion in favour of it, a resolution so passed shall be as valid as if it were passed at a duly held Governing Council meeting.
(e) Quorum for the Governing Council meeting: Five members of the Governing Council shall constitute a quorum. If there is no quorum within 15 minutes of the time when meeting is called, the meeting convened upon the requisition of members shall stand dissolved, and in any other case shall stand adjourned to half an hour later in the same place. At such adjourned meeting any three members present shall be a quorum and may transact the business for which the meeting was called. If there is still no quorum the meeting shall stand adjourned to any other time and place as fixed by the President; the quorum for such a meeting shall be four.
(f) Chairman: In the absence of the President and the Vice President the members of the Governing Council may elect among themselves a Chairman pro-tem.
Article 7.6 ANNUAL GENERAL BODY MEETING OF THE SOCIETY
(a) A General Body meeting of the Society shall be held once each calendar year, The meeting will be held at a time and place fixed by the Governing Council. Notice of the time and place of such a meeting shall be given in writing by the Honorary Secretary to every member of the society at least two months in advance. Every motion submitted to the meeting shall be decided by voting.
(b) Chairman: In the absence of President, the members of the General Body shall elect from among the members of the Governing Council a Chairman pro-tem.
(c) The Agenda shall be circulated to all the members at least two weeks before the meeting. The Agenda of the Annual General Body meeting will be
1. To receive and adopt the Annual Report of the Governing Council as given by the Secretary on the working of the society for the preceding year.
2. To receive and adopt the Balance sheet and Auditor’s for the preceding year.
3. To approve the appointment of Auditor as recommended by the Governing Council.
4. To receive and adopt the budget for the coming year.
5. Declaration of the results of the election held. In case elections are incomplete the same may be completed as per rules and regulations.
6. To transact such other business as may be brought forward by the Governing Council or any other business that may be permitted by the Chairman of which seven days notice has been given in writing.
7. To consider any other business brought forward by or with the consent of the Chairman.
8. Installation of New Office Bearers.
(d) Quorum: 5 persons shall form the quorum fora general Body Meeting.
(c) Adjournment: If within half an hour from the time appointed for the Annual! General Meeting there is no quorum the meeting shall stand adjourned to half an hour later at the same place and such adjourned meeting shall transact the business for which the meeting was called. No quorum is necessary for such adjourned meeting
Article 7.7 ANNUAL CONFERENCE
(a) A conference of the Society shall usually be organized at least one each year. The venue of the conference shall be decided and the organizing Secretary cum Treasurer of the conference appointed by the annual Governing Council meeting.
(b) The secretary of the Society shall notify members the date and venue of the conference and call for papers,case presentation,lectures for presentation at the conference. Such papers will be scrutinized by the Secretary, who with the concurrence of another member of the Governing Council will have the power to reject any paper.
(c) Each member will be allowed to present only one paper. He may be a joint author on the papers presented by others.
(d) Members whose papers are accepted and who default in presentation without at least 48 hours notice prior to the conference will be debarred from presenting any paper for one year.
(f) The organizing Secretary shall be responsible for making all other arrangements for the conference, including financial arrangements, according to the procedure laid down from time to time by the Governing Council intimated to him by the Secretary of the society. The Organizing
Secretary shall submit an audited statement of accounts within 6 months of the end of the conference. The expenses of the conference shall not be met normally from the finances of the society.
(g) 25% of the registration fee collected for the conference or any other amount as fixed from time to time by the Governing Council shall be paid to the Society along with 25% of the profits generated by the meeting. The remaining funds raised for the conference in excess of expenditure shall be made available to the local chapter of the Society for their use in furthering the aims of the Society.
(h) The annual meeting of the Governing Council and of the General Body shall normally be conducted at the time and place of the Annual Conference. The local Organizing Secretary shall be invited as a non- voting member to all meetings of the Governing Council held in association
with the conference.
A copy of the final programme of the Conference will be sent by the Secretary to the member. about a month before conference. The annual conference shall normally be held in July every year.
Article VIII Auditor
The Governing Council shall appoint and fix the fee of Auditor who shall be a chartered accountant.
Article IX Nomination of delegates for international conferences
Official delegates to the National/International conferences will be recommended by the society on the basis of the following criteria.
i) A member should have three years standing in the society.
ii) He should have attended three conferences and published at least three papers during the preceding 5 years.
iii) he paper for presentation should be accepted by the organizing committee of the conference.
iv) The final selection amongst candidates fulfilling the conditions is left to the Governing Council.
Article X Academic committee
The President and Secretary of the Society shall appoint an academic committee to oversee the scientific activities of the chapter and guide the academic content of conferences and research projects. Consequently, an academic committee shall have the tenure of three years which may
be extended according to the decision of the President and Secretary.
Article XI Amendments
(a) These bye laws may be amended by three-fourths of those members who cast a valid vote in a postal ballot conducted as defined below.
(b) Voting on proposals for amendments of the constitution of the bye laws shall be as follows.
Notification for proposal of any amendment must reach the Secretary of the society not later than two months before the Annual Governing Council it will be presented to the Annual General Body meeting. With the approval of a three-fourth majority of the Annual Governing Body Meeting, the Secretary shall within one month circulate the approved amendment, with voting papers to all members of the Society. These voting papers should reach the Secretary within one calendar month from the date of their dispatch by the Secretary. The secretary shall open and count the votes in the presence of one or more scrutinizes appointed by the President. The results will be declared by the president and such changes which are thus approved shall come into effect forthwith.
Article XII
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