CONSTITUTION OF DELHI NEUROLOGICAL ASSOCIATION
(Registration No. S-35761 (J) dated 7.10.1999 at Registrar of Society, Govt of Delhi)
1. The name of the Association shall be “Delhi Neurological Assocation” hereafter referred to as DNA or association.
2. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The aims and objectives for which the association is set up are:
2.1) To maintain close association and co-operation among those devoting full time to any branch of Neurological Sciences, within and outside India.
2.2) To maintain the highest standard in the ethics and practice in all the fields of neurological sciences.
2.3) To maintain the high standard, every endeavor shall be made to provide updating knowledge through scientific programs/meetings etc. to those who are properly qualified.
2.4) To promote and encourage research in all the fields of neurological sciences.
2.5) To receive and accept donations, gifts, grants or contributions in kind and cash from any person or persons, associations, societies, companies, authority or Government for the furtherance of the aims and objectives of the Association.
3. MEMBERS
3.1. In pursuit of these objectives, there shall be Honorary Members, Life Members and Associate Members and the Association shall undertake appropriate activities.
4. LIFE MEMBERSHIP
4.1 Admission shall be restricted to those in full time practice of any branch of Neurological Sciences & /or possessing a postgraduate degree or diploma in any sub-specialty of Neurological Sciences. They would be admitted under separate category of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Allied branches of Neurosciences.
4.2 Application for “Life Membership” shall be proposed and seconded by life members of good standing and the Executive Committee shall be the authority to admit them.
4.3 The privileges of life member would be to vote and contest for various executive posts as per rules.
5. ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP
5.1. Associate Membership shall be open to those who have evinced interest in any neurosciences through their professional and/or scientific activities.
5.2. Associate Members shall be proposed and seconded by life members of good standing. The Executive Committee of Delhi Neurological Association shall be the authority to admit Associate Members.
5.3. Associate members can take part in all the activities of the Association by presentation of papers at scientific meetings, participation in discussions etc. and shall have all the privileges of membership, except that they shall not have the right to vote or be office bearers of the Association.
6. HONORARY MEMBER
6.1. Honorary Membership shall be restricted to senior distinguished neuroscientists, who have an international reputation and who have contributed to the development of Indian neurosciences.
6.2. An Honorary Member shall be proposed and seconded by life members of good standing only.
The Executive Committee will be the admitting authority to this category of membership.
The total number of Honorary Members at any given time will be limited to not more than 2% of the total life membership of the Association.
6.3. Honorary Members shall have all the privileges of membership, except those of voting and serving as office bearers. They shall be exempted from payment of any subscription.
7. MEMBERSHIP DUES
7.1 Membership shall be counted from 1st March to last day of February for purposes of annual subscriptions.
7.2 Members who have not paid their subscription by 3oth of August shall be sent a registered acknowledgement due notice by the Treasurer of the Association giving them till 31st September to clear all their outstanding dues. Non-payment of subscription by 31st September would result in automatic removal of the member’s name from the rolls.
7.3 Members whose names have been erased from the rolls of the Association may be re-admitted only after receiving the prescribed application form and admission fee.
7.4 Subscription of Life membership shall be Rs. 1000/-. Annual subscription for associate member shall be Rs. 200/-.
7.5 General body on the recommendation of the Executive body reserves the right to revise the subscription rates from time to time.
8. MANAGEMENT
8.1 The affairs of the Association shall be managed by the Executive Committee (E.C.).
8.2 The executive committee shall consist of:
| 1 | President | One |
| 2 | President-Elect (Vice President) | One |
| 3 | Secretary | One |
| 4 | Treasurer | One |
| 5 | Members (Neurology) | Two |
| 6 | Members (Neurosurgery) | Two |
| 7 | Members (Allied Branches of Neurosciences) | One |
| 8 | Immediate Past President | One |
8.3 The President, President elect(Vice President), Secretary, Treasurer shall be “Officers” of the Association.
8.4 The term of office for various executive committee members shall be as under (one year for the purpose of this proviso shall be counted from one annual general body meeting to the other)
| 1 | President and President-elect (Vice President), | One Year |
| 2 | Secretary, Treasurer and Executive Committee Members | Three Years |
| 3 | Immediate Past presidents | Two Years |
8.5 Limitation:
1. The President & President elect shall not contest for any
position in the Executive Committee subsequently.
2. Members of the executive committee including office bearers of the Association
would hold office for only one term in their respective offices.
9. ELECTIONS TO THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (EC)
9.1 Eligibility
1. Only life members can contest for any post.
2. For the post of Secretary, Treasurer: one should have been a life member of
the Association for a continuous period of at least 3 years.
3. For the post of President elect a contestant should have been an active life
member for a continuous period of 5 year and with a continuous standing in the
respective specialty field of not less than a period of 20 years.
9.2.
1. No members of E.C. can be elected charge of office of any post of the Association without completing the term of existing post.
2. No member is eligible to contest for more than one post in the same election.
9.3. The President elect shall automatically become President in the following year. There shall be no election for the post of President.
9.4. In the event of resignation, demise or insanity of a officer of the Association, the E.C. is empowered to nominate one of its existing members to the post vacated till the following election.
9.5. Elections shall be held by postal ballot, prior to the annual conference.
9.6. The executive committee shall have the right to change the logistics of the election process in the face of exigencies or introduce byelaws for other modes of voting like electronic voting from floor and any other mode as & when required.
10. DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE
10.1. There shall be a disciplinary committee consisting of President, President elect and the Past President. This will be an empowered committee.
10.2. This committee shall go into complaints of misconduct against any member including associate member and take appropriate remedial actions.
11. MEETINGS
11.1. Executive Committee
i. The E.C. would have overall charge of all functions of the Association including financial, administration etc.
They can employ persons for efficient running of the Association.
All accounts must be submitted to the Treasurer DNA for auditing. The bank account of the DNA shall be operated by the treasurer and President / Secretary.
ii. There shall be at least three executive committee meetings chaired by the President DNA out of which one shall be at the venue of the conference before the Annual General Body Meeting.
iii. One half (1/2) members shall form the quorum for the executive committee meeting.
iv. It is obligatory for the executive committee members to attend meetings.
Any executive committee member who does not attend two consecutive meetings without sufficient valid reasons or does not attend a single meeting during the entire year without valid reason & prior permission of EC, shall be removed from the executive committee.
v. At the request of at least 1/3rd members of EC, the President would call an emergency meeting of EC to discuss a definite agenda.
vi. In the absence of President, the President elect (Vice President) would preside over the EC.
11.2. General Body Meeting (GBM)
i. There shall be at least one General Meeting of the Association chaired by the President.
ii. It shall consist of a, a) Scientific Meeting b) Business and Administrative Meeting.
iii. The Scientific Sessions would be open to all categories of members of the Association, and others, including practitioners and students of medical and allied sciences on payment of appropriate delegate fees.
Besides the presentation of papers, the Association shall try to organize special lectures/seminars/workshops and receive and implement suggestions in this regard from the General Body.
iv. The business and administrative meetings of the Association shall consist of Annual General Body Meeting at which all the members are expected to be present.
Forty percent (40%) members shall form the quorum for the Annual General Body Meeting.
If desired number of the members do not assemble the meeting would be adjourned & reconvened after 15 minutes for which no quorum is necessary.
v. No new issue except those already in circulated agenda can be discussed in GBM without giving prior notice of at least 4 weeks. The person proposing the discussion should be personally present in the GBM for the discussion.
vi. All amendments to the Constitution and Bye-laws shall be submitted to the Secretary at least 4 months before the General Body meeting, and after discussion in the executive body, the Secretary shall forward a copy of the same to every member at least 2 months before the meeting.
Such proposals shall be accepted if 2/3rd of the members present vote in favour of the proposals.
viii. Prizes for award winners shall be presented in AGM.
12. The association will encourage
periodic meetings of life members / associate members of DNA to promote the objectives of the association.
13. SECRETARY
13.1. The Secretary would be overall in charge of administration.
He will be responsible for / to publish newsletters (if any), organize EC & GBM, and supervise annual conferences.
He will maintain close liaison with the officers of the Association in discharging his duties.
Secretary should ensure maintenance of Income Tax exemption and sending all required documents to Commissioner of Income Tax as per rules.
He will publish minutes of E.C. in the newsletter only after obtaining approval of all members present.
He shall send all alterations in constitution Byelaws & rules of DNA certified by at least 3 members of EC to Commissioner of Societies, Delhi.
13.2. The Secretary, Delhi Neurological Association shall be responsible for acting legally, for and on behalf of the Association.
14. TREASURER
The Treasurer shall operate funds of the Association. He will be responsible for / to:
i. Investments & disbursements as per decisions of EC
ii. Send list of defaulting members to Secretary DNA
iii. Maintain account books\
iv. All accounts shall be audited
v. Ensure that bank account of DNA is operated jointly by Treasurer and
President / Secretary.
15. The Delhi Neurological Association shall be affiliated to National and other such international bodies as decided from time to time by the Executive Committee of the Association.
The Treasurer, Delhi Neurological Association, shall pay the affiliation fees to National /international bodies from the Association’s funds, if such affiliation is approved by EC.
The general body will also have the right to review such affiliation from time to time.
16. At least 75 % of the life members can propose dissolution of the Association. Disposal & settlement of claims & liabilities would be affected by the executive committee as per laid down rules & law for such purposes.
BYE LAWS OF DELHI NEUROLOGICAL ASSOCIATION
1. A permanent Office will be established as & when possible. For this purpose a building fund would be established.
2. SELECTING PAPERS FOR ANNUAL CONFERENCE
2.1. The President elect will be the Chairman, Scientific Committee. Powers may however be delegated by the Chairman, Scientific Committee.
2.2. The papers submitted will be sent by Chairman, Scientific Committee or his/her nominee to the concerned members of the executive committee of that specialty for their assessment.
If there is a difference in assessment the Chairman, Scientific Committee DNA or his/her nominee may use the casting vote.
2.3. The conference program will be finalized by the Chairman, Scientific Committee, DNA or his/her nominee in consultation with the organizing secretary of the annual conference.
The Chairman, Scientific Committee or his/her nominee would appoint the chairpersons for the various sessions.
3. The Secretary would send the list of delegates to the Chairman, Scientific Committee who will in consultation with EC for selection of judges for the various Award papers.
4. MEMBERSHIP
4.1. All proposals for honorary membership must be sent to the Secretary before 15th December to enable the Executive Committee to consider them at the annual meeting.
The Secretary shall inform the person concerned and get his consent for election as an honorary member.
Ordinarily not more than two honorary members should be elected in a given year.
4.2. Membership Fees:
Associate Members: Rs. 1000/- per year
- An Associate Member can convert to life member after the payment of the balance amount (the membership fee for life member within the same year). In case he opts to convert after that financial year, he has to pay the life membership fee + any other due.
- In future members would be admitted only as life members.
Life Members:
Admission Fees Rs.4000/- in one instalment
- DD / cheque to be drawn in favour of “Delhi Neurological Association”, payable at Delhi. Out- station bank charges to be included in the cheque
- General body on recommendation of the Executive body reserves the right to revise the subscription rates from time to time.
5. Website
The DNA website shall be managed by a specifically designated Webmaster appointed by the EC.
The webmaster shall be a life member of at least 7 years standing who shall be in charge of collecting information, uploading and deleting items as and when necessary.
The EC would provide guidelines for functioning.
6. ELECTION OF OFFICE BEARERS / EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
6.1. Election by postal ballot: Canvassing or soliciting votes or casting on other candidates would debar from election. President elect (Vice President) DNA will be the returning officer for the election.
6.2 Procedure of election: Each ballot shall have a number and will be signed by the returning officer i.e. President elect (Vice President) and the President.
The ballot to be placed in enveloped containing marked A to be put in another envelope B. The out envelope should bear the signatures and DNA membership number of the member.
6.3. Schedule of events for election:
- 30 August Treasurer notifies to the Secretary DNA of list of eligible members who can vote. All those who have become life member by 15th August shall be considered as eligible members.
- 1 October Secretary DNA notifies vacancies in Newsletter / letter to all Life members of the Association & invites nominations duly proposed & seconded by life members of good standing along with consent of candidate with brief bio-data in prescribed format.
- 15 November Candidates to be informed & withdrawals, if any, invited
- 30 November Last date for withdrawal of candidature.
- 30 December Dispatch of ballot papers by UPC by returning officer.
- 31 January Last date for receipt of ballot papers by returning officer.
February In the first EC meeting during the annual conference the returning officer & Two other members of EC to be nominated by President DNA to count votes.
- The returning officer will declare results of election to the General Body.
7. CONFERENCES
7.1. The annual conference of DNA conference would normally; be in First Saturday and Sunday of February with a flexibility within February with permission of the EC.
7.2. The EC would decide location of the conference by inviting bids on prescribed form two years in advance.
7.3. In case an Annual Conference has to be postponed due to unforeseen circumstances the Executive committee is empowered to select a suitable date for the same conference.
7.4. The Organizing Secretary of the Conference shall give 40% of the savings or Rs. 30,000/- (whichever is more) to the Treasurer DNA before May 31st after the conference.
7.5. The Organising Secretary shall ensure that the final announcement with all forms is positively mailed not later than November 20th. Abstracts of all papers to be presented at the annual conference should reach the President elect (Vice President), Delhi Neurological Association before 30 th December .
7.6. The organizing secretary will ensure the annual conference appropriately. The audited accounts of the annual conference should be submitted to Secretary DNA by 31st May by the Organizing Secretary for discussion at EC meeting of DNA.
7.7. The organizing secretary of DNA annual conference shall sign MOU at the time of bidding for the conference.
7.8. The organizing secretary of DNA annual conference shall provide accommodation to the invited guest / guests/ speakers/Orators.
7.9. There shall not be a separate session for Allied Neurosciences papers. Platform papers shall have a maximum of two parallel sessions. Posters would as far as possible be on display during the entire scientific session.
7.10. Each delegate to the annual conference shall be allowed to present only one platform paper and one poster.
7.11. DIAS SEATING ARRANGMENT during the INAUGRAL FUNCTION of the annual conference will be as follows:
a). Chief Guest, Guest of Honour (if any), DNA President, DNA Secretary, Chairman – Organizing Committee, Secretary of the Organizing Committee. If the organizing secretary wishes to invite someone, he may do so by inviting the person as a guest of honour.
b). The DNA President shall represent all the other associate/ Subgroup (if any).
7.12. DIAS SEATING ARRANGMENT during the closing ceremony of the annual conference shall be as follows:
- The President, President elect (Vice President),, the Secretary of the DNA and the Organizing Secretary, Chairman-organizing committee.
- The prizes for award winners shall be presented at this time.
7.13. Any conference organized under the aegis of DNA, the organizer shall contribute
- Rs. 20,000/- for Local symposiums / workshops;
- Rs. 50,000/- for the annual conference of national society ;
- Rs. 100,000/- for International Conference of society to the DNA.
- The contribution for the Pharmaceutical lectures shall be Rs. 10,000/-.
7.14. General body on recommendation of the Executive body reserves the right to revise the rates from time to time.
8. SYMPOSIA
8.1. The symposium topic should be broad based. Offers should reach Secretary DNA by 30th September. The EC would decide on the symposium subjects.
8.2. Convener should consult the Secretary regarding the organisation of the symposium at all stages.
8.3. No alteration in the subject/topic would be permissible.
8.4. The topics and speakers should be conveyed to the Secretary prior to the mid-term E C meeting for approval.
8.5. Local national talent should be tapped for the symposium. Only persons of national/international repute known to be actively engaged in work in that field should be invited.
8.6. Two or more parallel symposia, of appeal to different groups, might be permitted to be held.
9 AWARDS
Awards will be decided during Annual Conference, as and when available.
9.1. The following will be the rules governing these awards, if any
1. Contestant should be below the age of 45 years. Total experience excluding training in the specialty not to exceed 7 years.
2. Should have completed at least one year Associate membership/ life member of the Association
3. Work presented should have been done in India
4. The contestant should present the paper in the conference personally
5. The paper should not have been published or presented earlier in any other conference.
6. The Head of the Dept./Institution to which a candidate is attached should certify that the work presented is the candidate’s personal contribution or that the candidate did the major part of the work.
7. Full paper should be submitted in format of “Neurology India”.
8. Judges will be nominated by EC and the judges’ decision shall be final.
9.2. The amount of sponsoring an award shall be minimum of two lakhs. The contribution money for the award shall be drawn from the interest of the principal amount.
10. ORATIONS
10.1. Only TWO orations will be organized during the annual conference each year.
10.2. The committee to select the orators would comprise of the President, Secretary and the immediate past president. The committee would make their choice known at the Executive committee meeting during the annual conference.
11. CONDITIONS FOR GRANT OF FELLOWSHIPS
If funds permit:
11.1. Visiting Fellowships:
The Association shall grant visiting fellowships to members for visiting various Neurosciences centers in India to broaden their out-look. The visiting fellowship shall be actual three tier AC return train fare to the proposed institution plus Rs. 500/- per day for a maximum of 30 days.
11.2. Travelling Fellowship :
The Association has made provisions for granting traveling fellowship to its members/associate members for attending the annual conference, seminars, symposia and the C.M.E. Programme in any aspect of Neuroscience.
The traveling fellowship shall be actual III A/C train fare to the venue of the conference / seminar / symposia / workshop or C.M.E. programme and back plus Rs. 1000/ for incidental expenses.
11.3. The following shall be the eligibility for the above awards:
The awardee
1. Must be a member/associate member of the Association below 40 years of age.
2. Must be a whole-time Junior specialist, Postgraduate student or Resident in any branch of Neurological Sciences.
3. Must have no dues payable to the association.
4. Must not have received any financial grant/assistance from any other Institutions/Universities/ Governments etc. to visit the same Centre(s).
5. A certificate is to be produced from the Head of the Department of the Centre(s) visited.
12. ACCOUNTS
12.1. The financial year of the Association accounts shall be from 1st April to 31st March of the following year. The membership will be counted from 1st March to last day of Febraury for the purpose of annual subscription.
12.2. The audited account of the Association shall be submitted by the Treasurer of the Association to the Executive Committee and to the general body during the annual conference.
12.3. The audited statement of accounts is to be circulated to the members before the annual General Body meeting through the newsletter/ letter /website.
13. LIST OF MEMBERS / ADDRESS
Rs. 2,500/- shall be charged to provide the address list of members of the association where it is used for commercial purposes and Rs. 500/- where it is used for conferences or personal use.
Members of EC & Organizing Secretary of DNA Conferences would be provided complementary address lists. The sum is to be sent to the Treasurer DNA. The executive committee is authorized to revise the amount when required.
14. GENERAL BODY MEETING GUIDELINES
All members of the association shall be eligible to attend all general body meetings of the association & shall maintain decorum. However, only the Life Members are eligible to vote on any matter pertaining to the association.
All voting in general body meeting should be conducted by show of hand or by secret ballot as desired by the Chair.
15. NEWSLETTER
- The Secretary shall be responsible for publishing a “News Letter” at least thrice a year, if funds permit. Otherwise, monthly circular is to be circulated to all the members of the association.
- All-important events of the association and official matters regarding the members of the association/meetings shall be published & would be considered as official communication of DNA.
- The News Letter / monthly circular shall be posted to all the members.
16. DIRECTORY
A directory containing the history of the association, the constitution and byelaws and addresses of the members shall be brought out every 3 years by the secretary, DNA. This shall also be made available on the association website.
17. LIFE TIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
A life time achievement award would be presented to members who have played a significant role in the development of Neurosciences in NCT of Delhi and there shall be not more than one award in each year. Any proposal would be, considered and approved by Executive Committee through a secret ballot.
DNA Constitution Amendments
Amendments to DNA Constitution approved in its general body meeting held on 6th February 2010
1. There should be some degree of responsibility of DNA members to the society. Monthly meeting are a sanctorum activity and hence there should be some mandatory attendance in it.
It is proposed to DNA members to attend at least two meetings in a year (20%) beside annual get together. If someone fails to have 20% attendance for three consecutive years or if someone is absent altogether for more than three years then the membership of the person shall be deleted.
Only exception to this will be senior members of DNA of more than 65 years of age or someone for some unforeseen reason of health grounds.
EC will have the powers to grant readmission and the person who name is deleted may be re-registered only on exceptional grounds.
2. There should be mandatory attendance of 50% of various EC members in the monthly meeting, failing which they will also be covered under the same clause as above.
3. No person who is not as a member of EC for one term can be eligible for any officer post of the society.
4. There will be log book each for member and Institutions regarding their attendance this will be maintained as per register circulate at the time of monthly meeting.
5. The institution where DNA meeting are held should have obligatory presence of some members in the meetings at other places. If there is none attendance from a said institution for consecutive three months, their privilege to hold the next and subsequent monthly meeting will cease to exist.
6. There should be nodal officer from each major institution who shall inform and encourage members of his institution for attending the monthly meet.
7. Every institution who are holding monthly meeting shall ensure that there are no meeting on first Saturday at their places. And if so happens members of DNA shall give preference to DNA meet.
8. DNA will not allow any meeting on first Saturday of month under its aegis.