CONSTITUTION

Constitution
Of
North West Zone

ASSOCIATION OF OTOLARYNGOLOGISTS OF INDIA





CONSTITUTION AND BYE LAWS


Article-I : NAME

The name of the Association shall be “NWZ AOI”. The term ‘Association’ shall imply the “……..” hereinafter used in the constitution.

Article-II : Governance

The Association shall be governed by the Constitution and its Bye-laws

Article-III : Registered Office

The registered office of the Assiciation be located at a place or address of the Honorary Secretary.

Article-IV : Objects

The objects of the Association shall be the cultivation and promotion of the study and practice of ENT sciences with a view to render service to the community and to promote social contacts among Otorhinolaryngologists by :

1) Organizing conference, symposia, seminars, workshops, refresher courses etc. for promotion and mutual exchange of knowledge
2) Promoting scientific, clinical, experimental, community and field research in ENT
3) Instituting awards, orations prizes etc.
4) Promoting teaching, training and continuing education in otorhinolaryngology by establishing and maintaining reference library, publishing journals and proceedings of the association and other such materials. Also to publish newsletter, bulletin, journal, members directory etc. for the benefit of the members
5) Organizing exhibitions of machinery implements, tools, appliances etc. pertaining to Otorhinolaryngology with a view to encourage and improve the manufacture of such instruments and appliance in India
6) Encourage eventual affiliation to State/National Associations
7) Co-operating with other Medical societies/Associations
8) Promotion of social contact and creation of goodwill amongst the otorhinolaryngologists of the region/India/world, by fostering strategic alliances, mutual exchange of resource persons/delegates
9) Ensuring ethical practice, and professional conduct of its members, other otorhinolaryngologists, other medical personnel
10) Watching and advising on legislation/happenings affecting ENT practice, otorhinolaryngologists and science of Otorhinolaryngology
11) Raising finance through subscription, contributions, donations/sponsorship from members and non-members.
Acquiring movable and immovable property and assets. Purchasing, constructing, altering, maintaining, selling, running or mortgaging properties that may be necessary for the aforesaid objectives

12) Framing Bye-laws, rules and Regulations and to amend, add, alter or delete the same as and when necessary
13) Doing all such other things as may be incidental to or conducive to the attainment of the aims and objectives of the society

(a) Qualification
The membership of the Association shall be restricted to Medical practitioners holding Allopathic qualifications recognized under Schedule I or III of the Indian medical Council Act, 1956 and Postgraduate qualifications like MS/DLO/DNB or equivalent from a recognized Institute/University of India/abroad. There will not be any temporary / annual members. The prospective member will apply and the membership will be conferred by the executive after scrutiny of application. The fee once paid is non-refundable.

(b) Honorary Memberships
Persons who have rendered unequivocal service to the promotion of Otorhinolaryngology ? or any other branch of medicine will be eligible to be conferred Honorary membership on the recommendation of the Executive. Eminent Otorhinolaryngologists who are not the members of the Association can also be conferred Hon. Membership of Association on the approval of the executive. Present Presidents of All India Otorhinolaryngological AOI and NWZ will be made Honorary Members (Ex-officio) of the Association after their consent is received.
Persons approved by the Executive for Hon. Membership shall be conferred the same at the next General Body Meeting. Hon. Members will be entitled to participate in all the activities of the association but shall not be entitled to vote at a meeting or hold any office.

(c) Associate Members
They shall be those who are registered medical practitioners, and are interested in otolaryngology, but do not confine themselves to this speciality. They shall not vote or hold office.

Article-VI : Subscription

There will be only life members, the subscription will be Rs.1000/- which can be reviewed every 3 years. However, the present executive president can allow Associate members @Rs.500 for residents/Army personnel etc. who can become full members after payment of remaining dues.

Article-VI : Cessation of Membership

1) Membership of the association will cease –
a) By voluntary resignation
b) If the Executive Committee decided by a two thirds majority to delete the name of the member from the membership for any proven unprofessional behavior or conduct and is confirmed hy the general body at the next meeting. Before any disciplinary action of such a nature is taken, the offending member will be served with a notice in writing to appear before the next meeting of the Executive Committee, and will be given an opportunity to explain his conduct. A member in this category, whose professional conduct is under scrutiny/question by the public/executive committee of association will have all privileges of membership suspended and cannot claim any post in executive.

c) By death

d) Ipso-facto (1) upon sentence after conviction in a court of justice of any crime entailing moral turpitude (ii) upon being deregistered by a Medical Council in India on ground of unethical conduct, for the duration of deregistration or (iii) upon forfeiture through….


Article-VIII : General Body

1) Life members shall complete the General Body of the association
2) It shall govern the affairs of the society through its elected office bearers and committees.
3) (a) it shall hold annual general body meeting
(b) the general body meeting can be called by any of the following :

(i) The President
(ii) On a requisition signed by atleast 4 members of the Executive Committee
(iii) On a requisition signed by atleast 25% of members of the association
(c) Quorum – Minimum of 35% members shall form the quorum. For Constitutional amendment also the quorum shall be 25% of the total members on roll of the association on that day.
(c) all General Body Meetings will be held in a common place.

Article-IX : Executive Committee

The affairs of the association shall be managed by the executive committee elected by the General Body.

1. Composition
It shall consist of

a) Office bearers of the association :
(i) President 1
(ii) Vice President ?
(iii) Hon. Secretary 1
(iv) Treasurer 1
b) Executive Members 5
c) Ex-officio Executive Members : past Presidents & Hon. Secretary

2. Functions
a) Executive Committee shall act on behalf of the General Body for running the affairs of the association under its constitution and Bye-laws
b) It shall carry out the policies and mandate of the association and shall be responsible to it.
c) It shall have powers to invest and deal the moneys of the association and to borrow such sums of money as it may resolve as tending to benefit the association.
d) Such moneys and properties of the association which are not currently utilized for the objects of the association may be invested in such manner in Banks and in such ways as the Executive Committee may at their discretion think proper. The Executive Committee may change the investments in order to better fulfill the objects of the association.
e) The Executive Committee shall have power to purchase, construct or acquire on lease or in exchange or on hire, by gift or otherwise, any real or personal property and any rights or privilege necessary or convenient for the purpose of the Society and to improve, develop, manage, sell, mortgage, dispose off, turn to account or otherwise deal with all or any part of the property of the association, not vested in the trust.
f) The Executive Committee may constitute as many Committees as it may deem fit of furtherance of the objects of the association. These committees may form Bye-Laws of their own for their functioning with the approval of the Executive Committee.
g) Decisions and recommendations of the Executive Committee should be subject to approval of the General Body.

3. Meetings
a) The Honorary Secretary shall generally circulate the agenda for the meetings at least a week before the holding of the meeting.
b) The President when present shall preside at the meeting of the Executive Committee. In his absence, Hony. Secretary shall officiate for him. In the absence of the President and Hony. Secretary the meeting may elect its own chairman and for the purpose of the meeting he shall have all the powers of the President, Hony. Secretary will also act as liaison officer (on behalf of association) for the activities of the AOI.
c) The President or Chairman in the event of a tie will have a casting vote
d) The voting may be by show of hands, or by ballot whichever is decided by the President
e) Whenever it is found inconvenient to call a meeting of the Executive Committee and whenever the Hony. Secretary deems it desirable that the opinion of the Executive Committee be obtained, he shall do so by post or by circulation and act in accordance with the view of the majority.

Article-X : Election Procedure

a) Secretary shall invite nominations from amongst members for various posts at least 30 days before the due date alongwith preliminary notice of the meeting. The proposal must be received on or before a date specified by him.
b) Secretary should keep everything ready so that elections if necessary can be completed expeditiously by secret ballot.
c) Only life members shall be allowed to vote. Treasurer will therefore keep ready an uptodate list of such members during election time.
d) President will constitute an Election Committee of 3 members with one of them as Chairman/Returning Officer. Decision of the committee shall be final. An aggrieved candidate may represent to Election Committee within 48 hours of the announcements of the result.
e) The outgoing office bearers must hand over charge by delivering all relevant papers of the association such as cheque books, FDRs, pass books, registers, correspondence, stationery, books of accounts and Library books etc. to the newly elected body. The inventory of all the papers and property shall be signed by the outgoing and incoming president.

Article-XI : Election and Tenure of Office Bearers

1) Election of President :
(a) The President elect shall be elected at every Annual General Meeting by ballot. He shall hold office as President elect for the running your and as a President for the succeeding year, alongwith the President elect for the next year.
(b) The President, the immediate past President, the President elect, the chairman of Editorial Board and the Editor shall be the ex-officio member of the Governing body.

2) The election of the Honorary General Secretary and Honorary Treasurer :
a. The General Body at the Annual General Meeting shall elect an Honorary Gneral Secretary and an Honorary Treasurer who shall hold office for a period of 3 years or till the end of 3rd Annual meeting whichever is longer. The election shall be by ballot and they shall ordinarily be residents of the place where the head office of the Association is situated.
b. Honorary Associate Secretary : He shall be nominated by the president for one year. He will be ex-officio member of the Governing Body for that period.
c. Members : the General Body shall also elect 3 members to the Governing Body at the Annual General Meeting who shall hold office for one year.
d. In the event of vacancy occurring amongst the office bearers, viz., the President, Honorary General Secretary and Associate Secretary, and the Hon. Treasurer during the course of any year, the existing members of the Governing Body shall elect the office bearer or office bearers in the vacancy or vacancies and persons so elected shall hold office for the period for which their predecessors would have functioned.
e. Office bearers shall cease to hold offices –
i. If they cease to be members under clause 9 above
ii. If by a resolution, the General body decided by a two thirds majority of the members present that such office bearer be removed from office.
3) All office bearers entitled to hold office for one term of 3 years shall retire after expiry of their term but shall be eligible for re-election, only for another term of 3 years.

Article-XII : Functions of the President and Vice Presidents

The President –He will act on behalf of the association and will represent the association during his tenure. He shall regulate the proceedings of the association and the Executive Committee. He shall uphold the constitution and enforce the rules and regulations framed there under. He shall president over all the functions of the Society and meetings of the General Body and Executive Committee.
In the absence of the President, Vice President shall officiate him.

Article-XIII : Functions of the Honorary Secretary

1. The Hony. Secretary shall manage all correspondence and shall keep the minutes of the association and Committee meetings which will be read and confirmed at the following meetings respectively. He will organize conferences, academic meetings, social get-together and all other meetings, as decided. He shall have charge of the office and keep a register of all paper communicated to him. He shall be responsible to the association for carrying out the resolutions of the Society. All records shall be open to inspection by any member of the association.
2. All documents, convenants, contracts shall be made jointly by the Hon. Secretary, the President and the Treasurer
3. The property of the association shall be under the control of the Honorary Secretary
4. The Hon. Secretary may incur an amount stipulated in the Bye-Laws without the previous sanction of the Executive Committee and not provided in the budget.

Article-XIV : Functions of the Treasurer

1. The Treasurer shall receive life membership fee or any other money due to the association and shall make all payments in accordance with any rules framed by the Executive Committee, and shall keep an accurate account of all such transactions and every receipt given shall be signed by him. He will prepare a statement regarding the financial position of the association jointly with the Secretary which will be audited by a committee appointed by Executive Committee or by the certified auditors and present the same at the annual meeting of the General Body for adoption.
2. The Treasurer shall prepare an annual budget of the association and place it before the Executive Committee for approval. The budget as approved by the Executive Committee shall be placed before the General body for final sanction.
3. The accounts shall be operated jointly by any two of the following office bearers.
a) President
b) Vice President
c) Hon. Secretary
d) Treasurer
4. He shall maintain a list of current life members and their addresses
Article-XV : Finances

1. The account shall be maintained by the treasurer under separate heads. It will include all receipts by way of
i. Subscriptions
ii. Sale of any property belonging to the association and payments made for the holding of the conferences, printing, stationery etc. required for an efficient working of the Society.
iii. Such donations as may be received from time to time
iv. Any other income
2. ACCOUNTS : The association will take the help of a CA to get guidance/help in maintaining accounts and advice on tax matters and to represent association before I.T. Deptt. if and when necessary.
i. Life Membership : The amount in this account will be kept separate and put in long term FD : this FDR amount will not be encashed, except with the permission of General Body, In case of emergency. However, the interest received on this account may be used in running the association.
ii. General account : This will include all other receipts/income of the association. All expenses incurred in various awards/mementos/etc. instituted by the association and expenses in running the association will be done from this account. This can be operated by the Hony. Secretary and treasurer of executive jointly.
iii. The financial year of the association will be from April 1 to march 31st next year. Accordingly the term of the present executive may be adjusted once.

Artice-XVI : Bye-Laws

The association Society under its constitution shall frame bye laws for smooth functioning of the affairs of the Society.

Article-XVII : Amendment of the Constitution of Bye-Laws

1. Quorum for constitutional amendment shall be atleast 25% of the total life membership on rolls of the association on that day.
2. Any amendment, addition, alteration in the Constitution shall be made on approval by 2/3 majority of the members present in the General Body meeting.
3. The Executive Committee may recommend any amendment, addition, alteration to the constitution, provided they give, at least 30 days clear notice with the details of proposed amendment to the members of the association before the General Body Meeting.
4. Any member may propose an amendment, addition, alteration the constitution giving a minimum of 60 days clear notice before the General Body Meeting. The proposed amendment shall be submitted in writing and shall be duly seconded and signed by five other members of the association.

Article-XIX : Newsletter and Members Directory

The association shall undertake to publish newsletter, bulletins, journal, memorandum or other documents from time to time as decided by the Executive Committee or General Body.



Article-XX : Affiliation/alliance to other Societies / Association

The association can get affiliated to the state, national or international association interested in Otorhinolaryngology or allied fields. It may act as host for the Scientific Conference of such association.

Article-XXI : Prizes and Trophies

a) Prizes and Trophies : The association may constitute awards, prizes or trophies to individuals or institutions for services rendered to the association, contributions in the field of Otorhinolaryngology and raising the standard of clinical meetings on the recommendations of the Executive Committee.
b) Presidents Medal : for 100% attendance in monthly clinical meetings will be conferred on a distinguished member. Members of CORLS Executive are not entitled for this award.
c) The executive may institute any commemorative awards/trophies if suitably financed. The amount should be a minimum of Rs.1 lakh which should be placed in a fixed deposit.

Article-XXII : Visitors

Any member of the medical profession or any other eminent person may attend the meeting of the association on being introduced to the members with the permission of the chairman of the meeting.

Article-XXIII : Misuse of Designation by Office Bearers or Members of the Society

No member of the Society shall use Office bearer’s or member’s designation on their private personal letter heads and visiting cards etc. and in their personal correspondence. Any news regarding the activities of the Society, to any news media shall be given only by the President or Secretary after President’s approval.

Article-XXIV : Supply of Constitution

A copy of the Constitution shall be provided free by the Secretary at the time of enrolment of the Member, Additional copies can be had on such payment as fixed by the Executive Committee.

Article-XXV : Litigation

The jurisdiction of all litigation in respect of the association shall be Chandigarh

Article-XXVI : Dissolution of the Society

If upon dissolution of the association there shall remain after satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities, any property whatsoever, the same shall not be paid to or distributed among members of the association, but shall be given or transferred to Association of Associations, Institution or Institutions having objects similar to any of the objects of the association to be determined by the votes of not less than 2/3 of the members present personally or by proxy in meeting at or before the time of the dissolution or in default thereof by decision of High Court.