The Constitution of the Indo Global Psychiatry Initiative (IGPI)
Article I: Name
Section I:
The name of this Association shall be the Indo Global Psychiatry Initiative and there after to be referred to as 'IGPI'.
Article II: Purposes
Section I:
To provide a forum for partner Associations to provide support and advocacy to enable partner Associations to optimize the effectiveness of their contribution to improve mental health care in India (and more broadly in the Indian sub-continent) and global mental health. To provide learning, research and dissemination of knowledge in areas related to mental health issues (including education and training) as related to psychiatrists of origin from India and the Indian Sub-continent.
Section II:
To provide a forum for communication and exchange of ideas amongst psychiatrists of ancestry from India and the Indian Sub-continent.
Section III:
To establish close working ties with the Indian Psychiatry Society, World Psychiatry Association and other similar organizations in India and around the world.
Section IV:
To be an advocate for the specific professional needs of the Psychiatrists and professionals working in mental health whose ancestry hails from India and Indian Sub-continent.
Section V:
To establish funds and awards to promote the cause of mental health in India and the Indian Sub-continent.
Article III: Membership
Section I:
Following Associations will be partner Associations within the IGPI constitution and will have equal voting rights for purposes of making decisions on behalf of the IGPI.
- Indian Psychiatry Society
- Indo Australasian (Australia & New Zealand) Psychiatry Association
- Indo Canadian Psychiatry Association
- British Indian Psychiatry Association
- Indian Association of Private Psychiatry
- Irish Indian Psychiatry Association
Organization with similar aims can join IGPI with consent of Executive board of IGPI.
Section II:
Individual members of Partner Associations will be considered members of the IGPI.
Section III:
Rights and Duties of Partner Associations and their members: All members within partner associations shall have the usual and equal rights and duties of membership through their Associations.
Section IV:
Termination of Membership: Membership may be terminated by resignation; or by two third majority decision of the Council, by suspension or expulsion (see Section VI below).
Section V:
Discipline: The committee may by the concurrence of two thirds of its members, censure, suspend or expel any partner association/ for conduct which in the opinion of the council is unprofessional, derogatory to the dignity of the IGPI, or inconsistent with its purposes, but only after the partner association affected has had a notice in writing of the charges against it and if requested, a hearing thereon. The hearing shall be conducted before such persons or in such manner as the council may in consonance with the constitution or by-laws, direct.
Section VI:
The committee may reinstate any partner association suspended, expelled or dropped from membership.
Article IV: Officers
Section I:
The officers of the IGPI shall be a President, Vice President, A Secretary General, Assistant secretary, A Treasurer, the Chairperson of the Scientific Committee, Chair of Governance , The Editor of the News Letter and Public relations.
Section II:
Nomination of Officers shall be done by the nomination Sub-Committee appointed by the executive. The Sub-Committee will ensure that all partner Associations have an opportunity to forward their nominations to the Secretary not less than six weeks prior to the date set for the return of the mail ballot. The partner associations are to be notified of all nominations as provided by the by-laws.
Section III:
Election of officers shall be conducted by mail ballot of partner Associations and returnable 1 month prior to the General Body Meeting of the IGPI.
Section IV:
A. All Officers shall assume their respective office at the close of the annual meeting prior to which they have been elected and shall continue in office for a period of Two years or till the elections are held in the given year, in which event they shall continue in office until their successors are elected. The President-elect shall assume the office of the President at the close of the Annual meeting that is held the year after the election.
B. If the Office of the President shall become vacant, the Vice President shall assume office. If for any reason, the accession of the President Elect becomes impossible,a successor to the office of the President shall be appointed by the Council for the remainder of the unexpired term of the President and/or until the next annual election. If the Office of the Vice President becomes vacant, such office shall not be filled except by a vote.
If the Office of the secretary,Treasurer,Editor of the NewsLetter or Chairman of the Scientific Committee becomes vacant, the council shall appoint a successor.
Section V:
The President shall preside at meetings of the IGPI and/or the Council. He / she shall also communicate to the IGPI and the Council such matters; and make such suggestions as may in his opinion promote the usefulness of the IGPI and shall perform such other duties as is necessarily incident to the office of the President. In the event of the absence or disability of the President, the Vice President shall act in his place.
The secretary shall give note of and attend all meetings of the IGPI, the Council and the various committees, shall keep record of their doings, shall conduct the correspondence of the IGPI and keep all records of the IGPI.
The Treasurer shall collect, receive, disburse and account for all sums of monies due or belonging to the IGPI. He /She shall also furnish the necessary information about the financial transactions of the IGPI to the Council by the Annual meeting of IGPI and to Tax Commissioner by the end of the 2nd week of January of the previous year.
The Editor of the News Letter shall carry out the general Editorial Policies as approved by the Council.
Section VI:
The Council may expel any officer of the IGPI who does not attend three consecutive meetings of the Council without satisfactory explanation to the majority of the Council.
ARTICLE V: The Council
Section I:
A Council of 2 members from each partner association, shall govern the affairs of the IGPI with the Executive Committee.
The Executive Committee members shall be the President, the immediate past President Vice President, the Secretary General, The Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer, Chair Scientific Committee, Chair Governance Committee and the Editor of the News Letter.
Section II:
Nomination to the Council: Elected members of the IGPI shall be nominated by the Nomination Committee and approved by the Council.
The Council will comprise of Two representatives of all partner associations Additional representatives can be co-opted to the Council by the Executive if in the opinion of the Executive, these individuals bring specific expertise that is needed on the Council Chairs / Representatives of Sections will be co-opted to the Council.
Section III:
The election of the elected members of the Council shall be by a ballot.
Section IV:
The Tenure of the Executive Committee members shall be three years. The tenure of the elected members shall be three years, for members elected in 2014 and four years for members elected in 2015. From 2015, at each annual meeting of the IGPI an election shall be held to elect members to succeed those members whose terms have expired and to fill any unfilled vacancies that may have occurred.
Section V:
Council may fill vacancies occurring in any year among the elected members by temporary appointments for terms to expire at the next annual meeting.
Section VI:
Except as otherwise provided in the Constitution and By-Laws, the Council shall have control and management of the affairs of the IGPI and the newsletter and the proper disposal of the funds of the IGPI.
The IGPI may appoint an Executive secretary, whose duties shall be such as shall be assigned by the Council.
The Council shall decide upon the Qualifications and Eligibility of any applicant for membership but it may delegate this duty to a membership committee.
The Council may appoint a Membership Directory Committee, Committee for Liaison, Committee for Education and Research, Nomination
Committee and such other Committees that are necessary for the proper functioning of the IGPI, but not exceeding a total of thirteen committees.
The Council may vest in any Committee such duties as it sees fit.
Section VII:
At any meeting of the Council, members of at least four partner Associations shall constitute quorum.
Section VIII:
At meetings of the Council resolutions adopted by the majority of those present shall be binding upon and constitute the action of the Council. Records shall be kept of the action taken by the council and such action shall be reported to the IGPI at its annual meeting.
Section IX:
The Council shall meet periodically (face to face or through teleconference) as deemed necessary by the Council for the effective and successful carrying out of the goals and purposes of the IGPI.
Section X:
Any elected Council member who does not attend three consecutive meetings of the Council without satisfactory explanation to the majority of the Council may be expelled from the Council.
ARTICLE VII:
Section I:
The Annual Meetings of the IGPI shall be held at such time and place as determined by the Council.
Section II:
Special Meetings of the IGPI may be called for at such time and place as shall be fixed by the Council.
Section III:
At any annual or special meeting of the IGPI, members representing five partner Associations shall constitute the quorum and shall, except as otherwise specifically provided in the Constitution of By-Laws, be sufficient for any action.
ARTICLE VIII: Constitution, By-Laws and Amendments
Section I:
Amendment to the Constitution: Proposed changes to the constitution must be sent at least 8 weeks before the date of the meeting at which they are to be considered and must be signed by members from at least 5 partner associations.
The Secretary shall send a copy of the proposed changes to President of each partner association at least two weeks before the meeting at which they are to be considered. A vote of two-thirds of the members of the council at such a meeting shall be necessary to the adoption of any amendments.
Section II:
Amendments to the by-Laws: The By-Laws may from time to time be amended by the steering committee or by the IGPI. Any By-Laws adopted by the Council may be amended or annulled by the IGPI.
1. By-Laws:
The Secretary shall send notification of the annual meeting and of any special meeting to each member of the IGPI at least 8 weeks before the date of such a meeting.
2. The Nomination Committee:
Shall consist of the President and Chair/Presidents of all partner organisations. The President of the IGPI will act as Chairperson. The Nomination Committee will nominate three members to be an Election Commission. The Election Commission shall draw up a slate of nominees for the office of President Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Chair Scientific Committee, and Editor for any vacancies on the Committee. This slate must be presented to the Nomination Committee for its final approval no later than 2 months prior to the Elections.
3. Dissolution of the IGPI:
If for any reason if this IGPI is dissolved, its assets will be transferred to an appropriate charitable organization to be decided by the final council.