CONSTITUTION INFO

3. “Tamil Schools” shall include schools, which have been and are functioning in Sri Lanka where the students constituting the majority and belonging to the Tamil speaking community have been and are attending.

4. “Students” and “Old Students” shall include those who had attended any one of the Tamil Schools

5. Old Students Association” shall mean an organization functioning in the United Kingdom whose membership is primarily composed of students or old students, and recognized as such by the Executive Committee.

6. “Founder Members” are those who attended the inaugural meeting of the TSSA (UK) held on 24 June 1992.

7. The following shall be the aims and objectives of the TSSA (UK)

a) To promote, encourage and organize sporting activities, competitions and similar activities for the benefit of the Old Students and among Old Students Associations in the United Kingdom.
b) To work for the welfare and advancement of Tamil Schools and Old Students Associations.
c) To develop a constructive relationship with Tamil Schools and Old Students Associations and to affiliate with other organizations for the purpose of advancing the objectives of the TSSA (UK).
d) To engage in and undertake fundraising activities to promote the interests of the TSSA (UK).
e) To undertake and engage in any activity in furtherance of the aforesaid objectives.
f) TSSA (UK) shall be a nonprofit making organization and shall not engage in any kind of political activity or apply it’s funds towards a political purpose.

8. Membership shall consist of:

a) The Founder Members; and
b) Old Students Associations who have registered with the TSSA(UK) .

9. Membership of the TSSA (UK) may be terminated for failing to pay the prescribed membership fee, or following a resolution adopted at a General Meeting of the TSSA (UK) by a two-third majority of those attending for activities regarded as contrary to the aims and objectives and interests of the TSSA (UK).

10. An Organization which seeks membership shall produce 10.1 It’s Constitution 10.2 Details of it’s Bank Account 10.3 Evidence that the organization has been functioning for at least two years prior to the date of the application which shall include it’s adopted Annual Statement of Accounts or adopted minutes of the Annual General Meeting *AGM) [Amended @ the AGM on 05/02/2006]

11. No organization shall be regarded as having secured membership of TSSA (UK) until the Executive Committee makes a determination on the application and the applicant organization has been informed in writing accordingly . [Amended @ the AGM on 05/02/2006]

12. The Annual General Meeting (hereinafter referred to as the “AGM”) shall be held before the end of February each year.
13. All members who have paid their prescribed subscription up to the end of December of the previous year shall be entitled to attend and participate in voting at the AGM.
14. Members shall be given the prescribed notice of the AGM in writing by the Secretary, and such notice shall include the date, time venue and agenda of the AGM and the date before which resolutions shall be received.
15. The business of the AGM shall include:
16. a) Adoption of the previous minutes of the AGM or any SGM held during the year.
    b) Receive and adopt the Annual report and the Annual Statement of Accounts.
    c) Election of the Executive Committee d) Resolutions and any other business of which due notice has been given.
    e) An auditor shall be appointed at the AGM by the members. Auditors may be a member of TSSA (UK), but should not be a member of the EC.
17. Each Old Students Association shall be entitled to a single vote. Each Old Student Association may nominate in writing two of their members (hereinafter referred to as “Nominees”) to attend and participate at the AGM or SGM. All EC members for the time being shall be entitled to vote at any AGM or SGM. [Amended @ the AGM on 17/11/96]. 17. Decisions at the AGM and SGM shall be arrived by a show of hands, provided however the Executive Committee or the AGM or SGM may determine that a decision on a particular matter shall be by secret ballot.
18. A Special General Meeting (hereinafter referred to as “SGM”) may be held by a specific decision by the Executive Committee or at the written request by at least ten Old Students Association.
19. Attendance by Nominees of nine Old Students Associations or fifteen members, whichever the fewer, having voting rights as prescribed in Article 14 hereof shall constitute the quorum for the AGM or SGM. [Amended @ the AGM on 17/11/96]
20. Subject to any decision of the AGM or SGM, the powers, functions and general management of the affairs of TSSA (UK) shall be vested in the Executive Committee (hereinafter referred to as “EC”).
21. The EC shall be elected at the AGM from the Representatives of the fully paid members of the TSSA [Amended @ the AGM on 11/02/2007] and shall consists of:
22. a) President
    b) Three Vice Presidents
    c) Secretary
    d) Assistant Secretary
    e) Treasurer
    f) Assistant Treasurer
    g) Nine other members elected by the AGM. [Amended @ the AGM on 11/02/088]

21.1 The Treasurer and either the President or the Secretary of the out-going Executive Committee shall automatically be elected to serve in the Executive Committee for the forthcoming year. Not withstanding this, the total number of members in the Executive Committee shall be seventeen [at the AGM on 11/02/08] 21.2 Maximum term for the President, Secretary and the Treasurer shall be not more than three consecutive years [Included at the AGM on 11/02/08] 21.3 Any co-opted members shall be referred to as ‘Co- Opted’ members in all Association’s documents [Included at the AGM on 11/02/08]

22. The functions of the EC shall include the following:
23. a) To give guidance and directions to the office- bearer generally and the disbursement of funds in particular.
    b) To formulate policies/proposals for the betterment of the TSSA (UK) and implement them with the approval of the general body.
    c) To authorise expenditure. d) To deal with applications for membership
    e) To consider and authorise activities not inconsistent with the aims, objectives and interests of the TSSA (UK).
    f) To recommend an auditor
    g) To present the Annual Report and the Annual Statement of Accounts at the AGM.
    h) All matter not provided for in the constitution, and not involving an amendment thereto, shall be dealt with by the EC.
24. The EC may co-opt two others to itself without voting rights and may appoint Subcommittees for any specified purpose or purposes and may delegate to such Subcommittees any of it’s powers or functions.
25. The EC shall meet at least four times each year.
26. The quorum for a meeting of the EC shall be seven members thereof.
27. The President or Vice-President or in their absence a person elected for the purpose shall preside at the meetings of the EC, SGM and AGM. In the event of a tie in voting, the person presiding may exercise a casting vote.
28. The Secretary shall maintain proper minutes of the AGM, SGM and meetings of the EC.
29. Any member of the EC who is absent from three consecutive EC meetings shall be deemed to have vacated his/her seat on the EC, unless the EC having taken into account the reasons for the absence, shall otherwise decide.
30. A casual vacancy on the EC may be filled by a majority vote of the EC itself, and any persons appointed shall continue as members of the EC until the next AGM of the TSSA (UK) following the appointment.
31. All members of the EC shall retire at the next AGM following their election/appointment, and shall be eligible for re-election or re-appointment provided they are members of the TSSA (UK).
32. The EC may suspend a Member from membership of the TSSA (UK) for engaging in activities which may be regarded as contrary to the aims, objectives or interests of the TSSA (UK). The matter of such suspension shall be reported to the immediately following AGM or SGM at which any of the following decision may be taken:

a) To lift the suspension of the Member concerned
b) To confirm the suspension stipulating a period thereof c) To terminate the membership of the Member concerned. Decision as at (a)aforesaid shall require a simple majority of votes in favour. Decisions as at
(b) and (c) aforesaid shall require a two-thirds of those attending. Prior to any action being taken under this Article, the Member concerned shall be entitled to attend and avail of the opportunity to present the side of such Member’s case.

32. All monies raised or received by or on behalf of the TSSA (UK) shall be applied to further it’s aims, objectives and interests of the TSSA (UK) and for no other purpose.
33. The Treasurer shall keep and maintain proper accounts and records of the finances including assets, receipts, expenditure, credits, liabilities and other relevant matters.
34. A bank account or accounts shall be opened and maintained in the name of the TSSA (UK) with a bank or banks as may be deemed necessary by the EC. All monies otherwise than those required for immediate use shall be duly deposited in the bank. All monies that are not required for the on going activities of the TSSA (UK) shall be held in a reserve account as may be decided by the EC.

35.

1. a) 30% of surplus for the year (if any), less any outstanding debts corresponding to the said 30% surplus, shall be transferred to a Capital Reserve Account hereinafter referred to as the “Reserve Fund”. All outstanding debts corresponding to the said 30% surplus for any given year, when collected, shall be transferred to the Reserve Fund and accounted for as “extra-surplus” for the year in which the debts were collected. b) Distribution of profit calculation for the year, to all members (as per Article 8) shall be 60% of profits made from each function organized by TSSA (UK), based on the entry fee paid for each event by the participating members (as per Article 8). Any losses from an event in that year shall be recovered from the profits of the other activities in the same year [Amended @ the AGM on 06/02/00]

36.

8. a) The EC shall as and when the need arise withdraw money from the Reserve Fund for its expenses and such amount shall be replaced in the Reserve Fund before next AGM.
   b) A Special Deposit account hereinafter referred to as TSSA (UK)-SDA shall be established and maintained in a different bank. The funds for TSSA (UK)- SDA shall be the excess fund Transferred from the Reserve Fund in any year which shall be proposed by the Treasurer and agreed by the EC, and approved at the AGM where this excess fund shall not be required for any expenses during the normal course of operations.
   c) The funds from the TSSA (UK)-SDA shall be utilized for the common development of sports in the areas of Tamil Schools as determined by the AGM or SGM of TSSA(UK).
   d) The TSSA (UK)-SDA shall be administered by a five member Committee hereinafter referred to as SDAC, which shall include the Secretary and the Treasurer of the EC and three other members independent of the EC appointed at the AGM. The SDAC shall have a President and a Secretary both of who shall be from the three independent members appointed and named at the AGM. The Treasure of the EC shall also serve as the treasurer for the SDAC.
   e) The authorised signatories for the operation of the SDAC shall be the Treasurer and the three members of the SDAC appointed at the AGM. A minimum of three signatures, of which the President’s and Treasure’s shall be two, shall be required to operate the account. . [Amended @ the AGM on 06/02/00]
   f) The three independent members shall be members of the Old Students Associations who qualify as members under Article 8.
   g) The independent members of the SDAC shall only serve a term of
9. one year as first appointed, or ii. two consecutive year from first appointment, if re-appointed by the EC the second time, or iii. three consecutive years from first appointment, if re- appointed by the EC the third time.

The independent members who are re-appointed to the SDAC may or may not be represented by the respective OSA at the AGM or SGM.

1. h) No independent member shall be appointed to the SDAC to serve more than one term (a maximum of three consecutive years) as defined in Article 34 (g).
2. No expenditure shall be incurred otherwise than in accordance with the authorisation of the EC.
3. The accounting year shall be 1 January to 31 December.
4. Any Member may inspect the books of accounts provided 30 day’s notice has been given in writing to the Treasurer in that behalf.
5. An audited statement of accounts shall be presented each year to the AGM. NOTICES
6. The required notice for the following shall be:

a) AGM : 28 days
b) SGM : 21 days
c) Resolution at AGM or SGM: 14 days
d) EC meetings: 7 days

42. Amendments to the Constitution may be effected, after due notice being given by way of a resolution in that behalf, at the AGM or SGM at which at least two-thirds of the votes cast are in favour of such amendment.

43. The following procedure shall be adopted in the event of TSSA (UK) is to be dissolved:

a) The EC shall adopt a resolution by a two-thirds majority;
b) The decision of the EC shall be confirmed by a two-thirds majority at a SGM specifically convened for this purpose;
c) Any assets remaining after satisfaction of any proper debts and liabilities shall be applied as determined by the SGM at which decision under Article
41(b) is taken to dissolve the TSSA (UK)