1. TITLE AND REGISTERED ADDRESS
1.1. The Association shall be known as the SRI LANKAN MEDICAL AND DENTAL ASSOCIATION IN THE UNITED KINGDOM.
1.2. The Registered Address of the Association shall be that address which the Council shall decide from time to time and communicate in writing to the membership or declare at any full meeting of the Association.
2. OBJECT
2.1. To advance and assist undergraduate medical and dental education in the Universities of Sri Lanka.
2.2. To promote public awareness in respect of the educational needs of medical and dental undergraduates of Sri Lankan Universities.
2.3. To promote and advice on post graduate training opportunities in the UK for medical and dental graduates of Sri Lankan Universities.
2.4. To promote and encourage formation and affiliation of groups whose objects and criteria for membership are the same as this Association.
2.5. In the event of extraordinary circumstances brought about by a large scale natural disaster or a man made tragedy in Sri Lanka, the Association will take such actions as necessary to contribute its expertise in Medicine, Dentistry and Health Care Provision to disaster management and alleviation of suffering of the people affected.
3. POWERS
3.1 In furtherance of the above Objects but not otherwise, the Association shall have the power to:
a). Employ and pay reasonable remuneration to any person not being Council Members for their services
b). Acquire premises and, subject to legal consents, dispose of such premises
c). Invite and receive financial contributions from any persons or organisations; provided that the Association shall not undertake any permanent trading activities.
4. MEMBERSHIP
4.1. Ordinary Membership of the Association shall be open to the following categories of persons upon payment of the Annual Subscription Fee, which shall be determined by the Council.
a). medical and dental graduates of any University of Sri Lanka.
b). Any medical or dental practitioner with an abiding interest in medical / dental education or medical / dental care in Sri Lanka.
4.2. Student Membership of the Association shall be available to undergraduate medical and dental students for the duration of such studentship. Such student members shall be exempt from payment of membership dues and shall have no voting rights.
4.3. Termination of Membership The Council may by unanimous vote and for good reason terminate the membership of any individual; provided that the individual concerned shall have the right to be heard by the Council, accompanied by a friend, before a final decision is made.
5. COMMITTEES
5.1. The Committees of the Association shall be the Council and the Advisory Committee.
5.2. The Council shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and seven Council Members including immediate past President and past Secretary. The total number elected to the Council will be 11 Councillors. One of the Councillors or a co-opted member shall be nominated as the Editor.
5.3. The Council shall be elected by a simple vote at the Annual General Meeting.
5.4. The President and The Vice President will hold office for one year and will be eligible for re-election for a further year i.e. a maximum of two terms of one year each. The Secretary and Treasurer will not be eligible to hold office in that capacity for more than 2 years in succession and will not be eligible for re-election for the same post.
5.5 The Council shall have the power to appoint subcommittees and co-opt other members so as to facilitate the discharge of its functions.
5.6. The Advisory Committee shall consist of three members who have previously held office in the capacity of President, Vice President, Secretary or Treasurer. They will be elected by a simple majority vote at the Annual General Meeting for a continuous period of three years and will be eligible for re-election for a further term of three years.
5.7. The Advisory Committee shall consider matters referred to it from time to time by the Council or the general membership. It will act only in an advisory capacity and will have no executive role.
5.8. No member shall be elected to hold office in his/her absence.
6. MEETINGS
6.1. The Meetings of the Association shall be General meetings, Extraordinary meetings, Council meetings and The Annual General Meeting.
6.2. The Annual General Meeting shall be held in the month of March. If for any reason it cannot be so held, the AGM shall be held as soon as it is reasonably convenient, provided it is held not later than the month of May of that year.
6.3. The Association shall hold General Meetings as the Council shall in its discretion arrange from time to time.
6.4. An Extraordinary Meeting shall be called by the Council on the written request of fifteen ordinary members.
6.5. The notice for such Extraordinary Meetings shall be fourteen days. The notice for General Meetings and the Annual General Meeting shall be eight weeks.
6.6. The time of -notice for any meeting shall be deemed to run from the date of its issue and not from its receipt.
6.7. Want of service of notice on any member shall not affect the validity of any meeting.
6.8. The Council shall meet at least once every quarter.
6.9. The quorum for a General Meeting, an Extraordinary Meeting and the Annual General Meeting shall be fifteen, or 1/10 of the membership whichever is greater.
6.10. The quorum for a Council Meeting shall be five.
7. FINANCES
7.1. The Association shall open and operate such banking accounts in the name of the Association as it thinks proper and shall give the necessary authority to its officers to operate such accounts; provided always that cheques shall be signed by at least two of the following officers: President, Secretary, Treasurer.
7.2 The Treasurer shall keep proper books of accounts, and shall present a Statement of Accounts, duly audited by an Honorary Auditor, for adoption at the Annual General Meeting.
7.3. The income of the Association, whence so ever derived, shall be applied solely towards the furtherance of its objects and no member of the Association shall receive remuneration or other benefit in [money’s worth], except the reimbursement of reasonable out of pocket expenses properly incurred on behalf of the Association.
8. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
8.1. No rule embodied in this Constitution shall be altered, varied, deleted, amended or added to or changed in any other manner except by formal resolution at the Annual General Meeting or at an Extraordinary Meeting called for that purpose.
8.2. Notice of such resolution shall be given in writing and shall include the name of its proposer and seconder, at least eight weeks before the date of the meeting at which it is intended to effect the change.
8.3. No such alteration shall be valid unless passed by a two-thirds majority of members present and voting at the meeting.
8.4. No alteration or amendment shall be made to the Constitution, which would cause the Association to cease to be a charity at law.
9. DISSOLUTION
9.1. The Association may be dissolved by a resolution passed by a two thirds majority of those present and voting at a Special General Meeting, convened for the purpose of which 21 days’ notice shall have been given to the members. Such resolution may give instructions for the disposal of any assets held by or in the name of the Association , provided that if any property remains after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities, such property shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the Association but shall be given or transferred to such other charitable institution or institutions having objects similar to some or all of the objects of the Association as the Association may determine and if and in so far as effect cannot be given to this provision then to some other charitable purpose.
