Constitution of the Bunts Association of North America

August 26th 1995

Preamble: We, the Bunts community in North America (includes United States of America and Canada), interested in preserving and promoting cultural activities and bringing together all the Bunts, do hereby join together to form an Association.

ARTICLE I
Name : The name of the Association shall be BUNTS ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMERICA.

ARTICLE II
Office : The office of the Association shall be located at the residence of the President.

ARTICLE III
Aims and Objectives : The Aims and Objectives of the Association shall be to preserve and promote cultural, literary, educational, scientific, charitable and other humanitarian activities for the Bunts community in and outside North America.

ARTICLE IV, SECTION 1
Membership : Anyone who subscribes to the objectives of the Association set forth in Article III, shall be a member subject to Article IV, Section 2.

ARTICLE IV, SECTION 2

a) Patron : Any family or individual of the Bunts community or any other person who donates $500/- or more to the association shall be made patron of Association. b) Life Membership : Any family or individual of the Bunts community or any other person who pays $150 /- to the association shall be made a life member of the Association. c) General Member : Any family or individual of the Bunts community or any other person who pays a bi-annual fee of $50 /- shall be a general member. d) Student Member : Any family or individual of the Bunts community or any other person who is pursuing his studies in North America and who pays a bi-annual fee of $ 20 /- shall be a student member. ARTICLE IV, SECTION 3 Voting Rights : All members in the category (a) and (b) of Article IV, Section 2 shall carry one vote. The members must be present to exercise their voting right.

ARTICLE V, SECTION 1
Executive Committee : The executive committee shall be elected at each bi-annual General Body Meeting, and shall consist of the following office-bearers and members. a.) President b.) Vice President c.) Secretary d.) Joint Secretary e.) Treasurer f.) Youth Representative g.) Committee members

ARTICLE V, SECTION 2
The office-bearers and committee members shall be elected at the General Body Meeting on the basis of simple majority vote. In case of tie in votes, There shall be re-balloting until one of the candidates secures a majority. The voting shall be by secret ballot.

ARTICLE V, SECTION 3
The term of office of the executive committee shall be until the next General Body Meeting is convened for the purpose of electing a new executive committee. Just before balloting, the executive committee as a whole shall be deemed to have resigned. The General Body shall elect member or members to conduct the election.

ARTICLE V, SECTION 4
Only members of the association with voting rights are qualified for contesting election for the position of office-bearers and committee members.

ARTICLE VI, SECTION 1
General Body and Executive Committee : The general body shall consist of all members of the association. Any decision shall become effective> by majority vote.

ARTICLE VI, SECTION 2
The executive committee shall consist of all the elected office-bearers and the elected committee members.

ARTICLE VI, SECTION 3
The President of the association shall be the Chairman of the executive committee. Any decision in the executive committee shall be decided by majority vote by the members present. The Chairman shall not vote unless there is a tie.

ARTICLE VI, SECTION 4
The quorum for the General Body Meeting shall be one-fifth of the total membership of the association at the time of the meeting, or twenty, whichever is less. The quorum for the executive committee shall be four.

ARTICLE VI, SECTION 5 T
he bi-annual General Body Meeting shall be convened during the Summer every odd year. Two week's notice should be given for the General Body Meeting. [No changes in Article VI, Sections 6 and 7, and Article VII.] ARTICLE VI, SECTION 6 In the event one-fifth of the members call for an extraordinary General Body Meeting, in writing, the Secretary shall arrange such a meeting within one month of the receipt of the requisition. The Secretary shall give two week's notice to the members for such a meeting.

ARTICLE VI, SECTION 7
If any member of the executive committee is absent consecutively for more than three meetings, and if the committee considers the reasons for such absence are not satisfactory, it may pass a pass resolution removing the said member from the executive committee.

ARTICLE VII
Meetings : The Executive committee shall meet at lest four times in a fiscal year. ARTICLE VIII Fiscal Year: The fiscal year of the association shall be the first of September to thirty first of August. ARTICLE IX, SECTION 1 Finance : The executive committee shall be responsible for the finances of the association. ARTICLE IX, SECTION 2 A financial account in the name of the Bunts Association of North America shall be opened in a bank and operated jointly by the President and the Treasurer.

ARTICLE IX, SECTION 3
The executive committee shall be required to report on all financial transactions conducted during its term of office, at the General Body Meeting. ARTICLE IX, SECTION 4 Any expenditure shall be approved by the executive committee. However, the President and the Secretary shall have the power to incur an expenditure of up to $ 25/ - each without prior approval.

ARTICLE X, SECTION 1
Duties of Office-Bearers : The President shall preside over all the meetings of the executive committee, and in the absence of the President, the Vice President shall preside over such meetings and in the event of both the office bearers being absent, the Secretary shall preside over such meetings.

ARTICLE X, SECTION 2
The Secretary in consultation with the President, shall arrange agenda for all meetings and shall notify the members of the same, in advance. The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping the minutes of all meetings and maintain such records as may be necessary. At the General Body Meeting, the Secretary shall present a report of the activities of the association during the term of the office.

ARTICLE X, SECTION 3
The Treasurer shall be responsible for filing the necessary financial returns to the concerned authorities, with the help of the Secretary.

ARTICLE X, SECTION 4
The Treasurer shall be responsible for the maintenance of accounts and collection of all dues. The committee shall appoint one internal auditor from among the committee members. The Treasurer shall present a certified financial report at the General Body Meeting.

ARTICLE X, SECTION 5
The Joint Secretary shall assist the Secretary and shall perform the duties of the Secretary in the latter's absence.

ARTICLE X, SECTION 6
Resignation of any office-bearers, in the period between two General Body Meetings, shall be accepted by the executive committee, but such letters of resignation may be placed at the following General Body Meeting. Resigned office-bearers may also have an opportunity in the said meeting to explain the reasons, if they prefer to do so.

ARTICLE X, SECTION 7
The executive committee shall have the power to fill up the vacant seat. However, a seat falls vacant within 45 days prior to the bi-annual General Body Meeting shall not be filled.

ARTICLE XI, SECTION I
Amendments to the Constitution : Amendments to the constitution shall be decided in the General Body Meeting, and ratified with a two-thirds of members present and voting. The notice for such amendments shall be given to all the members at least two weeks in advance.

ARTICLE XI, SECTION 2
If and when such amendments are approved at the General Body Meeting, the Secretary shall file such amendments to the constitution with the concerned authorities as may be necessary.

ARTICLE XII
Dissolution : Upon the dissolution of the association, the executive committee shall, after paying or making provision for the payment of all the liabilities of the association, dispose of all the assets of the association exclusively for the purposes of the association in such manner, or to such organization or organizations, organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, or scientific purposes as shall, at the time, qualify as an exempt organization under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law), as the executive committee shall determine.

Adoption Date: September 4, 1987 compiled on August 4, 1995 by Subhas V. Shetty, Joint Secretary, 1994-95. Dr. Kushala K. Hegde President, 1994-95 Date: August 26, 1995