COORG WILDLIFE SOCIETY
Rules and Regulations (as amended on 15.07.2008)
1. The Members
The Coorg Wildlife Society (hereinafter referred to as ‘The Society’) shall consist of unlimited number of members of either sex who are interested in the furtherance of the objects of the Society and whose election shall be vested in a committee constituted as provided in Rule (hereinafter referred to as ‘The Committee’). Persons who were members of the Society prior to the registration shall be deemed to remain members of the Society, unless they shall otherwise determine, and any subscription paid by them, shall for the purpose of regulating their position or status in the Society, be deemed to have been paid to the Society. The benefits of the Society shall be open to all irrespective of caste, community or creed.
Provided that from 15.07.2008, only original inhabitants of Kodagu District and/or their descendants or persons who have been the permanent residents of Kodagu District for more than fifteen years shall be entitled to become the life/patron members of the association. Also no person who is involved in any criminal offence shall be entitled become the member of the association. This provison shall not apply to persons who are members as on 14.07.2008.
2. Categories of Membership
There shall be five categories of membership namely, Life, Patron, Student, Affiliate and Honorary members. Only Patron and Life members shall be entitled to vote. Other categories of members will not have any right to vote. Details of membership are provided in the succeeding paragraphs.
Patron members
Patron Members are those members who either on election or at some later date contributed to the funds of the Society in one sum a minimum contribution of Rs.10,000=00 or such other sum as may be fixed by the AGM from time to time.
Life Members
Life members are those who have on election contributed to the funds of the Society in one sum a minimum contribution of Rs.2,000=00 or such other sum as may be fixed by the AGM from time to time.
Student Member
Student members are those pursuing their studies in educational institutions who, upon their application may be admitted as student members by the committee, and they shall pay an annual subscription of Rs.100=00 or such additional sum as may be fixed by the AGM from time to time. They shall have no voting rights.
Affiliated Members
Affiliated members are those Associations and institutions with aims and objects similar to Coorg Wildlife Society and which, on election, pay the annual subscription of Rs.500=00 or such sum as may be fixed by the AGM from time to time.
Honorary Members
Honorary members shall be such persons of eminence who have rendered distinguished service to the Society at large or experts in the field of ecology, environment, etc and who would be helpful to further the objects of the society. Nominations for Honorary Membership may be proposed by a member to the Committee and after the committee approves of such nomination only, such nomination shall be placed the AGM and after deliberation at the AGM, a person so nominated may be elected as a Honorary member. A person so elected shall be denominated as an Honorary Member and shall have the privileges of a Member under the Rules but shall not have voting rights.
Other Categories of members
The Committee may, whenever it deems fit add to the categories of members and define their privileges subject to the prior approval of the Society and may fix such rates of subscription in respect of each category as it deems necessary.
Submission of Application for Membership
Every person/institution desirous of becoming a member shall apply to the committee in writing in the application form prescribed duly signed by him and it shall be recommended by at least two life/Patron members. The application shall have a declaration to the effect that the applicant has read and understood the contents of the memorandum of association and its rules and regulations and that he shall abide by them, and that he is not involved in any criminal offence, especially forest and wildlife, and that he shall not utilize his privilege of membership as a means to propagate, enhance, etc his profession, business, avocation, etc. The application shall also consist of the pledge to the effect that the applicant having been convinced of the fundamental importance of conserving the natural environment upon which rests the foundation of human civilization, he shall spare no effort to preserve the natural resources, vanishing wildlife and the dwindling forest arrest that is held in trust for prosperity.
3. The committee shall have the power either to admit or reject the application.
4. If any person/institution elected as a member shall omit to pay the entrance fee and annual subscription within one month from the date of election, the Committee shall be at liberty to declare such election void.
5. The first annual subscription of members elected during the months of October, November and December in any year shall be considered to extend to the 31st of December of the following year.
6. The payment of entrance fee by a member shall be considered as an acceptance by such member of all the Rules, Regulations and bye-laws of the Society including the power to alter or vary the same.
7. The annual subscription of Student and affiliated membership shall become due on the 1st of January in every year in advance. No member whose subscription is in arrears; may exercise his privileges of membership; provided nevertheless that the committee shall have authority to restore such defaulters on payment of all arrears.
8. When any member or Institution shall be in arrears in the payment of annual subscription for two months he/institution shall be advised by letter, addressed to last know place of residence, that unless the amount due be paid by 30th April, the name shall be removed from the list of members and in the event of failing to pay the amount within the period stipulated, the name shall be removed from the roll of members. The committee may, however, restore the name of any person/institution so removed upon such terms as they may think fit.
9. Members Address and Changes There of
Every member shall furnish in writing to the Honorary Secretary his address and any changes therein. The Society shall accept no responsibility for any loss or inconvenience that may arise through failure on the part of the member to carry out the provisions of this clause; nor shall it be necessary for the Honorary Secretary to issue any notice to members falling to do so.
10. Withdrawal and Removal of Members
Every member having paid all fee due by him to the Society, shall be at liberty to resign there from upon giving notice in writing to the Honorary Secretary well in advance.
11. Expulsion of Members
The Committee may expel from membership any member willfully disobeying these Rules or guilty of any conduct which in the opinion of the Committee has rendered him unfit to be member of the Society. The expulsion shall be effected by a resolution of the Committee. Provided that before passing the resolution to expel the member, the Committee shall give notice of the proposed expulsion to member and call for an explanation why he should not be expelled and at the meeting for the passing of the resolution, which meeting shall be held after two months from the date of the notice to the member shall hear what the member may wish to urge in his defence. The resolution shall be voted upon and shall be passed only on a vote of at least two-thirds of the total number of the Committee present at the time of voting. A member expelled in accordance with this Rule shall have no claim to the property or the funds of the Society and shall not be eligible for re-election as a member for a minimum period of three years.
12. Privileges of Members
Members have a right to be present and vote at all General Meetings of the Society, to propose candidates for election to the Society, to attend meetings of members and functions of the Society. Provided always that no friend or other person not being a member of the Society shall be entitled to be present at any General meeting of the Society convened for the transaction of the business of the Society.
13. Society’s Library
Members shall have access to the Society’s Library and may borrow for a stated period, all books except such books as are required for constant reference. Every member borrowing a book shall be liable to pay a fine to be fixed from time to time by the Committee for failing to return the book within the stated period. Every member shall be liable to replace or to pay for any book lost by him at the discretion of the committee and to make good any damage done to the book while in his keeping.
14. Annual General Meetings
A General meeting of all members of the Society shall be held annually within 90 days of the financial year ending, on a day to be fixed by the Committee. The Annual General Meeting shall be competent to receive and adopt the annual report and audited statement of Accounts of the Society for the past year and to transact any other business, which may be brought forward by the chairman. The meeting shall be presided over by the President or in his absence the Vice-President.
15. Notice
Notice of the date, time and place of the annual General meeting and the agenda shall be intimated to all members at least 14 clear days before the meeting shall take place. The notice shall also call for any points by the members in writing at least 3 days prior to the AGM.
16. Procedure
The course of procedure at the Annual General Meeting after the Chair has been taken shall be as follows:-
(a) The reading of the Annual Report of the Committee.
(b) Presentation of the balance sheet and Statement of Accounts for the past year.
(c) The appointment of Auditors and the fixing of their remuneration.
(d) The election of the Committee, if due, as provided under Rules.
(e) Such other business as may be properly brought before the meeting.
17. Quorum
No business shall be transacted at any General Meeting of the Society unless a quorum be present when the meeting proceeds to business; one-fifth of the total number of members or 20 members personally present whichever is less shall constitute a quorum. If, within an hour from the time appointed for holding a meeting a quorum be not present, the members present whichever the number shall be competent to transact the business for which the meeting was convened. The same procedure shall be adopted for an Extraordinary General Meeting.
18. Decision by Majority
Any question which may arise at any General Meeting of the Society or at any meeting of the Committee, shall be determined by vote, each member having one vote and the President or chairman, a casting vote in addition to his own vote. The Co-opted members shall have no voting right.
19. Extra Ordinary General Meeting
The Committee may, whenever they think fit, convene an extra ordinary General Meeting and they shall on the requisition of at least ten of the members forthwith proceed to convene an extraordinary General Meeting of the Society.
Any request so made by members shall express the objects of the meeting proposed to be called and shall be left at the office of the society. Provided such requisition may consist of several documents in like form such signed by one or more requisitionists. Upon the receipt of any such requisition, the Committee shall forthwith convene an Extra Ordinary General Meeting and if they neglect to do so within one month from the date of delivery of such requisition at the office of the Society, the requisitionists may themselves convene an Extra ordinary General Meeting for the purpose specified and not for any other purpose, but no meeting so convened shall be held for three months from the date of delivery of the requisition as aforesaid.
Management of the Society
20. Executive Committee
The management of the Society shall be vested in an elected Committee consisting of the following:-
a) President
b) Vice-President
c) Honorary Secretary
d) Honorary Assistant Secretary
e) Honorary Treasurer
f) Seven Committee Members
g) Immediate Past President
h) Persons holding the following posts of Govt. Offices, during their term as such officers, and with their consent, may be invited as special advisors to the Committee:-
i) The Superintendent of Police, Kodagu
ii) The Conservator of Forests, Kodagu Circle, Madikeri
iii) The Deputy Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Hunsur
iv) The Assistant Director of Fisheries, Kodagu.
v) CEO – Zilla Panchayath, Kodagu
29. Election of the Committee
Election for the posts in the executive committee shall be held once every three years. A team of three members who would not be the candidates and who are not part of the existing committee shall be designated by the Executive Committee as the election committee (one as the returning officer and two as election officers). Notice of election, calendar of events and a format of the nomination paper, names of the members of the election committee, shall be sent to every life and patron member with the notice of annual general meeting. Member who desires to be candidate for the election to the executive committee shall submit his application to the Returning Officer on such date as may be specified in the calendar of events. A candidate shall be proposed by a Life / Patron member and seconded by another such member with the candidates consent.
The returning officer shall then prepare the list of the members who wish to be elected for the ensuring term. In the event of the number of members in the list not exceeding twelve (not to include the post of immediate past president), he shall place it before members at the annual general meeting and declare the results and carry out for further formalities if any. In the event of the number of members in the list exceeding twelve (not to include the post of immediate past president), an election shall take place as follows:-
The list of candidates shall be given to every eligible member present at the AGM, in the form of a ballot paper by the Election Committee. Members present shall place a cross mark against the names of the candidates (not more than twelve) and deposit the ballot paper in the ballot box provided for the purpose. The said committee shall carry out all formalities and shall announce the results.
The Committee, at its first meeting after its election, shall elect from among the twelve members elected, President, Executive Vice-President, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Assistant Secretary and Honorary Treasurer who shall function as such during the term of the Execution Committee, If any vacancy occurs in these offices during the term of the Committee, the members shall elect another member to the office from among their members.
21. Vacancies
Subject to Rule 30 in the event of any vacancy on the Committee occurring during the term of the Committee the remaining members of the Committee may fill up such vacancy from the members of the Society. A member so appointed shall, if an ordinary member, hold office for the remaining period of the term of the Committee appointing him/her and shall be eligible for election at the next General Meeting at which the election of the Committee is to take place.
The first Committee of the Society formed under the Karnataka Society’s Registration Act, shall be the Committee of the unregistered Society in Office at the time of the registration of the Society whose names are set out in the list annexed to the Memorandum of Association.
22 Committee Meeting
The Committee shall meet at such times as shall be appointed by the President or in his absence, by the Executive Vice-President, due and sufficient notice being previously sent to every member.
23. Quorum
At any meeting of the committee 5 members shall form a quorum.
Any member of the Committee absenting from three consecutive meetings shall be deemed to have vacated his/her seat on the committee.
24. Notice of Meeting Agenda
Clear seven days previous notice of any meeting of the Committee shall as a rule, be given in writing by the Honorary Secretary to each member of the Committee and such notice shall specify the nature of the business to be transacted. Business of urgent nature may be conducted by circular, and in such case, it shall be necessary in order to render valid any act of the Committee done upon resolution by circular, that the circular shall have been seen by each member of the Committee and that the majority of members shall have voted in favour of the resolution.
25. Decision by Majority
The majority of votes shall decide every question brought before the Committee and in case of an equality of votes, the Chairman of the meeting shall have a costing vote in addition to his own.
26. Sub-Committee
The Committee may from time to time frame Bye-law for regulating the conduct and management of their business or of the meeting or functions of any sub-committee appointed by them or for the internal management of the Society. Provided that no such Bye-laws shall be inconsistent with any of the purposes or objects of the Society or with these Rules and Regulations. All such Bye-laws, until revoked or altered, shall be binding as if they were contained in theses Rules and Regulations.
The Committee shall be competent to invite any person it so desires, including non-members to be present at the meeting of the committee. Provided that such invitee shall be entitled to attend only the meeting to which he is invited and shall not be entitled to vote at the meeting.
27. Other Power and Duties of Committee:
The Committee in addition to the powers and authorities these presents or otherwise expressly conferred upon them may exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things including powers conferred upon the Society as per Memorandum of Association of the Society as may be exercised or done by the Society and are not hereby or by Law expressly directed or required to be exercised or done by the Society in General Meeting but subject nevertheless to the provisions of the Karnataka Societies Registration Act and of these presents and to any regulations from time to time made by the Society in General Meeting and provided that no Regulations so made shall invalidate any prior Act of the Committee which would have been valid if such Regulation had not been made.
28. The President and the Executive Vice-President
The President or with his consent the Executive Vice-President shall preside at Meeting of the Society or of the Committee and regulate all the proceedings there and generally execute or see to the execution of the Rules and Regulations, Bye-laws or orders of the Committee.
In the absence of the President from any meeting of the Society or of the Committee, his place shall be filled by the Executive Vice-President or by a member of the Committee then present, who shall for the time being have all the authority, privilege and powers of the President.
29. The Honorary Secretary and Assistant Secretary
The Honorary Secretary shall be responsible for overall administration and correspondence of the Society. The Honorary Assistant Secretary shall assist the Honorary Secretary.
30. The Honorary Treasurer and the Accounts
The Honorary Treasurer shall demand and receive for the use of the Society all monies due or payable to the Society and shall keep full and particular accounts of all sums so received. He shall also from time to time invest the funds of the Society as may be determined by the Committee. An Account in the name of the Society shall be opened and all monies shall be deposited with such bankers as may be appointed by the Committee. The funds of the Society shall be invested in the modes specified under provisions of Sec.13(1)(d) read with Sec 13(5) f the Income Tax Act, 1961. No payment shall be made by the Honorary Treasurer without the authorization in writing of the President or the Executive Vice-President. Subject to Budget provisions and to such specific instructions as may be given by the Committee, the Honorary Secretary, may pass for payment all the bills in connection with salaries and other expenses of the Society. All cheques shall be signed by the President/Executive Vice-President and the Honorary Treasure.
Annual budget shall be as approved at the AGM and all expenditure shall be within budget provisions. The president may sanction a maximum of Rs.10,000 at a time within the budget provisions subject to the approval of the committee.
In case of emergency, the Honorary Secretary in consultation with the Honorary Treasurer may incur expenditure not exceeding Rs.5,000=00 subject to the submission of a report to the Committee.
The Financial year of the Society shall end on the 31st day of March of each year and all accounts shall be made up to that date and shall be audited by an auditor appointed at the Annual General Meeting.
The Auditor shall have the power of calling for a statement of liabilities and assets of the Society and for any information relative thereto.
The Honorary Secretary shall prepare the report of activities for the year and the Hon.Treasurer shall prepare a report to be presented with the balance sheet, statement of accounts for the past year and the audit report, which shall be sent to all members, before the annual general meeting after the perusal by the executive committee at its meeting.
31. Tenure of Office Bearers
No Office bearer (President, Vice President, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Assistant Secretary and Honorary Treasurer) shall hold an office for more than two consecutive terms of three years each.
32. Clerks and Servants of the Society
Clerks and other servants of the Society with the respective salaries and duties shall be subject to orders of the Committee and they shall not under any pretence whatsoever receive any perquisite or profit from their connection with the Society, except that which shall be expressly allowed by the Committee.
The Secretary shall prepare the duties and responsibilities of each staff member. The same will be displayed in the office.
33. (Deleted)
34. Amendment to Rules
These Rules and Regulations may be amended or repealed or new rules made, by a majority of members present and voting at any Annual or Extraordinary General Meeting, provided that notice of such proposed repeal, amendment or new rules has been duly given in accordance with the Rules. However, the provisions of Karnataka Societies Registration Act, 1960 shall be adhered to. No amendments to the Memorandum of Association and Rules and Regulations shall be made which may prove to be repugnant to the provisions of Sec 2(15), 11 to 13 and 80(G) of the Income Tax Act, 1961. However, no amendment shall be carried out without the prior approval, where necessary, of the Commissioner of Income Tax.
35. Referendum
The Committee shall have at its sole discretion the power to call for a referendum instead of a General Meeting on such issues as will effect all the members of the Society and on which the opinions of all members of the Society are considered desirable before taking a decision.
36. Interpretation
On all matters relating to the interpretation of these rules and regulations and of any Bye-law and on any question not provided for in these rules, the committee’s decision shall be binding unless overruled at a general meeting.
37. Dissolution
In the case of dissolution of the Society at any time, the net funds and properties of the Society shall be disposed off in accordance with the provisions of relevant sections of Karnataka Societies Registration Act, 1960. In the event of dissolution or winding up of the Society, the assets remaining as on the date of dissolution shall under no circumstances be distributed among the members of the Governing Body but the same shall be transferred to another Charitable Society or Institution whose objects are similar to those of this Society and which enjoys recognition under Sec.80(G) of the Income Tax Act, 1961.