CONSTITUTION OF UNITED INDIA ASSOCIATION

1.1 The name of the association shall be United India Association here with after referred to as the Association. 

1.2 Until such time as permanent location is established for United India Association the residential address of the president shall represent the address of United India Association. The President or any member shall not file for any tax deduction for the use of his/her personal property. 

1.3 The Association shall be organized exclusively for the practice of the religious and associated culture of India, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that quality as exempt organizations under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law). United India Association shall exist as an association of its members. 

1.4  No part of the earnings of the Association shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its members, trustees, officers, authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in Article I: Section III hereof. No substantial part of the activities of the association shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the Association shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the Association shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by an Association exempt from federal income tax under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law). 

1.5 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 of the action in such a manner, or to such organization or organizations organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, religious, or scientific purposes as shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization or organizations under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law), as the Executive Committee shall determine. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by the court of common pleas of the county in which the principal office of the Association is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes. 

2.1 The membership in United India Association of shall be open to all adults (18 years or above) interested in Hindu heritage and culture of India. 

2.2 All members shall have full and equal voting rights and privileges. 

2.3 The Association shall be supported mainly by membership dues (fees), donations and other non- profitable assessments. 

2.4 The term of membership of United India Association shall be from July 1st to June 30th of the following year.

2.5 Membership fees (as determined by the executive committee) will be required from all members and shall be payable by November 1st. 

3.1 The executive committee shall manage the affairs of United India Association and exercise all the powers of United India Association of delegated by its CONSTITUTION and its voting members. It shall have power to appoint subcommittees for specific purposes. The executive committee shall also have the power to dissolve such subcommittees. 

3.2  The executive committee shall consist of (1) a President; (2) a Vice-President; (3) a Secretary; (4) a Treasurer; and (5) three members. Each of them shall have been voting members of United India Association for at least six months prior to his/her election.

3.3  The officer shall be elected once a year at the annual general body meeting of the association to be held in the month of June. 

3.4  The President - The President is the chief executive of United India Association. He/she shall convene, conduct and preside over the meetings of the General body and of the executive committee. It shall be his/her duty to see that all orders and resolutions of the executive committee are carried out effectively to the best of his/her ability. When executive committee is not in session, the President shall have the general control over the management of the activities of United India Association. The President, before the end of his/her term shall submit a report, approved by the executive committee, to the General body on the operation of United India Association for that year. The president shall report periodically to the executive committee all matters of interest. 

3.5 The Vice-President - The Vice-President shall act as an aide to the President and shall perform the duties of President in his absence. 

3.6 The Secretary - The Secretary shall record the minutes of all meetings; general and executive; shall be responsible for all correspondence and shall perform all other duties as delegate to him/her by the President or members of the executive committee. 

3.7 The Treasurer - The Treasurer shall have the custody of all funds. He/she shall keep a full and accurate account of the receipts and expenditure and make disbursement in accordance with the approved budget as authorized by the executive committee. 

3.8  All Officers shall deliver to their successor all official materials within a week of election on a joint meeting of incoming and outgoing executive committees. 

3.9 If the office of the President becomes vacant, the Vice-President shall automatically assume the presidency for the remainder of the term of the executive committee. In case of vacancy of any other officer, the position will be filled by the incumbent securing next highest vote. If there was no contest, the executive shall have the power to fill vacancy. 

3.10 Fiscal responsibility shall be shown by the executive committee in so far as not reducing the surpluses handed to them when they take office. If the surplus amount is reduced by more than ten percent at the end of the year, the executive committee shall render themselves ineligible to contest for office in the coming year.

3.11 No member shall hold the same position in the executive committee for more than three consecutive years. 

4.1 All members shall have the right to vote and to contest for the election of Officers, subject to Article 3, section X. 

4.2  The election shall be conducted by secret ballot and simple majority shall govern. The quorum for the election meeting shall be at least one third of the regular members. If there is no quorum in the election meeting, then the election should be deferred to another date. If the meeting fails to achieve quorum, then election of office bearers should be made through consensus of people present in the election meeting. Any member unable to vote in person during the election meeting shall be able to avail of the absentee ballot by notifying the election committee at least two weeks prior to election. 

4.3  An election committee will be formed for proper conduction of election of the office bearers every year. The committee shall consist of at least three regular members nominated or selected by the executive committee. The election committee shall prepare the voters list. The names of all contestants should be submitted to the election committee in the prescribed written forms three weeks prior to election. The election committee shall follow the guidelines set up by the executive committee for election conduction. 

5.1 The general body meeting of the ASSOCIATION shall be held in the month of June as determined by the executive committee. 

5.2  Special general body meeting of United India Association may be called either by a majority of a executive committee or by a written request of at least one third members of the ASSOCIATION to the executive committee. The President shall call a special meeting within four weeks from the date of receipt of such a request. 

5.3 The general body of United India Association shall have the power to dissolve the executive committee at an extraordinary meeting convened for that purpose as described in Section II. But the resolution (for dissolving executive committee) shall have the support of the majority of the ASSOCIATION members, i.e., one half of voting members. 

5.4 A notice of the place, date, time, and agenda of the Annual or any Special General Body meeting shall be sent at least two weeks in advance to each members at the last address submitted by the member in writing. 

5.5 The Constitution may be modified or amended by the approval of one third member of ASSOCIATION. 

6.1 The name of this Association shall be “The United India Association of New England, Incorporated”.

The Association shall 

7.1  Serve the community especially those of Indian origin by holding cultural religious programs which are of principal interest to members. 

7.2 Be a non-profit cultural organization. Any funds, contributions, donations or monies received shall be used exclusively to conduct the affairs of the Association and to hold such programs, functions and events that would be of benefit, usefulness and be desirable in the best interests of the community. 

7.3 Make charitable contributions whenever necessary and approved by the Executive Community members. 

7.4 Provide (approved by the Executive Committee) funds for academic, cultural, and intellectual interchanges between people of Indian origin and USA. 

7.5 Have all powers necessary to carry out its purposes, programs, and functions with support of its members and those of outside if necessary. 

8.1 The power of the Association unless otherwise delegated by voting members, rests with the General body of voting members. All persons interested in the aims and objectives of the Association may become voting members. Voting members shall be entitled to all privileges and subject to all obligations of membership. 

8.2 (a). There will be two categories of voting members: (1) life membership, (2) general membership renewable annually. The membership fees for the categories will be determined by the Executive Committee. 

8.2 (b). any person with outstanding contribution to any field of human endeavor may be elected to the honorary membership by the unanimous vote of the Executive committee. Honorary members will be entitled to all the privileges of membership except holding any office or voting rights for the Association. 

8.3 Other non-voting classes and categories of membership may be established from time to time by the Executive committee. 

8.4 Husband and Wife can obtain joint membership whereby each shall have full voting rights and privileges. 

8.5 The term of the general membership of the Association shall be form January 1 to December 31. Persons joining the Association during any time of the year as general members shall remain member only up to next December 31, and if they join after June 30, may only pay half the annual fee.

8.6 Membership can be suspended by the Executive Committee if it is established that the said member has been acting against the interests of the Association, to be established by the Executive Committee. A written caution notice to the member shall be given by the Executive Committee, with 30 days waiting period prior to formal removal of the said person as a member of the Association. The termination of the membership has to be voted in the General Body. 

9.1 The officers of the Association shall consist of a Chairman, a Vice-Chairman, a Secretary and a Treasurer. Each of these shall have been a voting member of the Association at least one month prior to the election time and shall have to be a paid member of the Association during the tenure in office. 

9.2 Each officer shall be elected by ballot at the annual meeting. He/She shall hold office until the adjournment of the next following meeting or until his successor has been selected and qualified. 

9.3 There shall be up to seven (7) Directors of the Association. Each Director should have been a member of the Association at least 30 days prior to being eligible for election. The nominations of Directors for election shall be submitted to the Election Committee at least one week prior to the election. 

9.4 The term of the Directors shall be for two (2) years, after which they can stand for re-election for any office of the Association. A Director can resign by giving one month’s notice to the Chairman.

9.5 The Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and the Directors shall constitute the Executive Committee of the Association. Each officer is eligible for re-election by giving one month’s notice prior to the date of next election of the intentions to a member of the election Committee.

9.6 Any vacancy created because of resignation, suspension or death, may be filled by nominations by the Chairman in consultation with the rest of the Executive Committee for the rest of the term.

10.1 There would be at least three (3) and up to seven (7) persons of the community who shall be nominated by the Executive Committee to be the Special Advisors.