CONSTITUTION

SECTION 1: THE NAME OF THE UNION SHALL BE > JOURNALISTS UNION OF ASSAM (JUA)

SECTION 2: THE AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE UNION SHALL BE :

A) To organize working journalists in the state of Assam into a united force.

B) To promote and defined the status and interests of working journalists with regard to wages ,conditions of employment, tenure of service and all other matters relating to the practice of journalism.

C) To deal effectively with employers and the government to secure the collective economic and professional interests of working journalists.

D) To build up funds for the provision of legal aid , un-employment benefit and relief to working journalists as well as the pursuit of the aims objectives of the Union.

E) Strive to main the highest standard of professional conduct.

F) To strive to secure the right to information as a fundamental right and ensure freedom of expression, safeguarding it from encroachments from any quarter.

G) To combat communal ism, racism, gender and anti-working class biases in the press.

H) To conduct the affairs of the union on professional and Trade union lines and to forge organic links with like minded organizations of news paper employees, including non-journalist employees of newspaper publishing houses.

I) To publish an official journal of the union.

J) To pursue all such activities as are conducive to serve and promote the above aims and objectives.

SECTION 3: MEMBERSHIP

A) Subject to the provisions of the Trade Union Act ,the membership of the union shall be open only to those persons designated as journalists under the working Journalists Act ,1955 ,as amended from time to time.

B) Part-time correspondents or freelance journalists whose principal avocation is journalism provided, however, they furnish proof in the form of written statement from newspapers, Electronic, digital media’s they work for. They should also append to their application form a statement, attested by a Judicial Magistrate or any other competent authority, certifying that they do not hold a permanent full time job or run a private business or have proprietary interest in any commercial concern.

C) Applicants for membership shall furnish such information as the executive committee may require from them to determine their eligibility for membership, and their application shall be proposed and seconded by one member each.

D) Person who has made outstanding contribution to journalism or to the Trade Union movement but whose principal avocation is not journalism may be invited to be honorary members. Such membership will be conferred by the general body On the recommendation of the executive committee, hereinafter mentioned which may receive nomination for this purpose from members .Such member shall have no voting rights.

E) In deciding on the question of eligibility for admission as a member, the term to be applied shall be whether the interest of the person concerned in an enterprise to primarily journalistic. Persons whose primary interest is as directors, managers or proprietors shall not be eligible. However, those who do not employ any other person on their editorial staff shall not be barred provided he can prove that his principal avocation is journalism.

SECTION 4: FEES

A) Person eligible to become members may be admitted, at the discretion of the executive committee, on payment of the prescribed annual fee plus an admission fee which will be decided by the executive committee from time to time.

B) The online registration fees shall be Rs100/-(one hundred) and  annual membership fee shall be Rs.50/-(fifty).These fees shall be computed for the calendar year in which the fees are paid and shall fall due on January every year .Members are further liable to pay any special fees that may be decided by a resolution of the general body for unemployment benefit, strike fund, or other similar purpose in furtherance of the aims and objectives of the union. However,the executive committee may increase or decrease the fees depending on requirement.

C) A member who fails to pay his/her subscription within two months from the expiry of the period to which it relates shall cease to a member unless he is exempted from such payment by the executive committee.

SECTION5: GENERAL BODY MEETINGS AND RESOLUTIONS

A) The annual meeting of the general body of members ordinary held on any suitable day in the month of July every year.

B) The annual meeting shall consider and adopt the report of the previous year, pass the accounts, elect the executive committee and the president and consider any other matter of which due notice has been given.

C) A meeting of the general body shall require at least 15 days notice except when a meeting has been adjourned in which case a one weak notice will suffice.No quorum will be needed.

D) A meeting of the general body may be called by the executive committee whenever it deems necessary to do so or by the general secretary, hereinafter mentioned, in terms of a requisition by members as provided hereinafter.

E) The general secretary shall convene general body meeting within 30 days of such a requisition for purposes specified in the requisition and signed by 50% of its members on the rolls.

F) Notice of amendments to the business for which a general body meeting has been called must be given at least seven days notice before the meeting.

G) Resolutions regarding other business which a member may desire to take up would also require at least seven days notice. H) Subjects to exceptions, hereinafter provided, for, all questions shall be decided at any general body meeting by the majority vote, exercising one vote, provided that in case of a tie, the person presiding over the meeting shall have a casting vote.

I) The following items shall require a two-thirds majority vote:

I. All amendments to the constitution

II. The levy of any special fee.

III. No confidence resolutions.

IV. The quorum for a general body meeting shall be one-third of the members on the roll provided that meetings adjourned for half an hour for want of quorum require no quorum.

SECTION6: EXCUTIVE COMMITTEE

A) Apart from directly elected president, a maximum 41 members executive committee shall be elected , at the annual general meeting by the state council members and district president and G S  to carry out the administrative and other duties of the Union in terms of the aims and objectives of the Union as well as the resolutions passed and directions issued by the general body from time to time.

B) The executive committee shall elect the general secretary, 4 vice president, 4 joint secretary , a treasurer,4 Publicity secretary,4 organizing secretary,4 assistant secretary  from among the members. Subject to the terms of the constitution and the resolutions and directions of the general body, the executive committee shall have the right to frame rules with regard to the following matters and to alter or amend the same.

I. Procedure ………. Suspension or removal of district committee , individual  members.

II. Various duties and functions of office bearers

III. Procedure for calling meetings, holding elections and taking ballots.

IV. Administration of benefit funds.

V. Procedure for its own functioning.

VI. For all cognate matters regarding day to day administration of the union between general body meetings.

C) Such roles and amendments shall be placed before the next general body meeting and be subject to its approval or amendment. Subject to the supervision and control of the general body, the executive committee shall be responsible for the administration of funds, their allocation for various purposes. The executive committee shall meet as often as necessary at least on every month.

Casual vacancies on the executive committee, including that of a President, a general secretary or treasurer,or any other post shall be filled by the executive committee by  decision of executive  body meeting. The quorum for an executive committee meeting shall be one-third provided no quorum shall be needed for a meeting adjourned for 15 minutes for quorum.

The executive committee or any of its members is liable to be removed by vote of no-confidence at a meeting of the general body specially requisitioned for the purpose. Any member of the executive committee who is absent for three consecutive meeting without obtaining leave of absence from the committee, shall be deemed to have ceased to be a member of the executive committee.

District Committees

1. There will be district committees in every district. The state committee may club one two or more administrative district committees to form one district committees for the convenience of the organisation.
2. The size and posts of the district committees will be decided by the district committees .
3. The district committee will elect one state council member for every 10 members . The State Council members along with the secretaries and presidents of the district committees will attend the general body meeting and will vote for election of Executive body members as and when it is held.
4. The Executive Committee may recognize two different district committees in a particular district as a special case. However executive committee will continue to bring two fractions together. The executive committee or any of its members is liable to be removed by vote of no-confidence at a meeting of the general body specially requisitioned for the purpose. Any member of the executive committee who is absent for three consecutive meeting without obtaining leave of absence from the committee, shall be deemed to have ceased to be a member of the executive committee.

SECTION7: DUTIES FUNCTIONS OF OFFICE BEARER’S

1) President:

The president shall preside over all meetings of the union, the general body and the executive committee, preserve order, signs all minutes. He shall have the power to call special meetings of the executive committee if necessary to do so. He shall have the privilege of costing vote.

2) Vice-president:

In the absence of the president, the vice-president shall preside over all meeting of the union, the general body and the executive committee, preserves order and sing all minutes and have the privilege of casting vote whenever he is in the chair.

3) General Secretary:

a) The General Secretary shall keep the minutes of all meetings, conduct all correspondence, convene all meetings, exercise supervision over the affairs and activities of the union, prepare all reports and shall be responsible submitting to the register of trade union all returns and notices require by the trade union act.

b) The general secretary may ,in consultation with the president and subject to the approval or confirmation of the executive committee ,obtain any assistance that is deemed necessary for the union.

4) SECRETARY:

The secretary shall assist the general secretary in the discharge of his/her duties.

5) ASSISTANT SECRETARY:

He/she shall assist the secretary of the general secretary.

6) JOINT SECRETARY:

The joint secretary shall assist the general secretary in the discharge of his/her duties. He/she should be assigned specific duties with regard to the various committee of the union.

7) PUBLICITY SECRETARY:

Publicity secretary shall be in charge of publicity works of the union.

8) ORGANIZING SECRETARY:

He/she shall be assigned specific duties with regard to the organizing side of the union.

9) TREASURER:

The treasurer shall be responsible for the all sums of money which may from time to time be paid into the union and for duly banking them. He /she shall keep all accounts, get them audited and prepare the annual balance sheet. He/she shall make payments toward all expenditure sanctioned by the executive committee and sing all receipts. In his absence, he/she shall delegate his/her powers to the general secretary.

SECTION8: PROCEDURE FOR CALLING MEETING:

a) Notice of a general meeting shall be sent to the President / secretary of district committee   by the general secretary.The district committees will give notice to its members.

b) Meeting of the executive body shall ordinarily require one week notice, an emergency meeting, when required, shall not be less than24 hours notice.

SECTION9: AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION:

The constitution cannot be altered, amended or added to except by the general body by a two-thirds majority of votes of members present at the meeting called for the purpose.

SECTION10: ELECTIONS:

a) Election of the president and the member of the executive committee shall be by secret ballot. There shall be separate ballot papers for the post of president and 12 executive members.

b) Members list for elections shall be prepared and displayed on the union’s notice board for scrutiny at least 30 days before the date of elections.

c) A member shall be eligible to vote only if he/she cleared all dues within seven clear days before the day of elections and before 3 pm on any working day.

d) Candidates for elections would have to be duly proposed and seconded by bonafide members in prescribed forms which shall be numbered.

e) Each member shall have the right to cast as many votes as there are posts but shall no cast more than one vote to each candidate. The total number of votes cast may be less than the numbers of posts but not more.

f) the dates for nomination, scrutiny withdrawal or acceptance of nominations shall be announced on the day the members list is displayed on the union notice board.

g) A member who is not contesting any post in the year concerned and has not proposed or seconded the name of any candidate in the year concerned shall be appointed by the executive committee to oversee the electoral process. He/she will be the returning officer who will scrutinize nominations, check the voters list, monitor the poll and announce the results.

h) While the president will be elected directly by the general body. The elected members of the executive committee will elect the four vice-president, general secretary,four joint secretary ,one treasurer,four organizing secretary,four assistant secretary,four publicity secretary  from among est themselves at their meeting which should take place within 15 days of the annual general body meeting .

SECTION 11: FUNDS

a) The general funds of the union shall consist of subscription fees from members, special funds, donations etc.

b)These funds shall be deposited in a bank or banks approved by the executive committee in the name of the union and the accounts shall be operated by the treasurer jointly with the president or the general secretary.

c) The treasurer shall not keep with him/her more than Rs.500 in cash for minor expenses.

d) The union’s funds shall not be spent on any account other than the following:

I. Salaries, allowances, expenses and other legal dues of the staff.

II. Administrative expenses of the union.

III. Conduct of any trade dispute or agitation on behalf of the union, or any of its members.

IV. Publication of union journal or booklets on subjects/issues affecting the interests of the union and its members.

V. Promoting the aims and objectives of the union.

e) The general secretary shall consult the president on all expenditure and report details of all expenditure and report details of all expenditure to the executive committee.

SECTION 12: ANNUAL AUDIT

The union shall make provisions for the annual audit of the accounts of the union by auditor appointed by the executive committee in accordance with the provisions of the ITU Act.

SECTION 13: DISSOLUTION OF THE UNION

a)The union shall not be dissolved except by the three-fourth majority of voters of members present at the general body meeting called for the purpose, provide that the total numbers of votes cast at such a meeting is not less than two-third of the total numbers on the rolls.

b)The funds of the union ,after meeting all the liabilities ,shall be disposed off in accordance with the decision of the meeting called for the dissolution.

SECTION14: AFFILIATION

The union shall be affiliated to the Indian Journalists Union (IJU) which has its registered office at Flat-29, New Central Market (Shankar Market),Cannaught Circus,New Delhi-110001.