Mangalore, February 19, 2005

The Indian Liberal Group (hereinafter referred to as the ILG) founded in 1964 gives itself this Constitution as drafted by the Drafting Group (Appendix A) on March 04, 2000. The members of the ILG Executive Committee prior to March 4, 2000 (Appendix B) shall be referred to as the Founding Members of the ILG.

The purpose of the ILG is to foster the values of freedom, responsibility, tolerance, social justice and equality of opportunity based on the liberal belief that

• liberty with individual responsibility are the foundations of civilised society;
• the State is the instrument of the citizens it serves.
• any action of the State must respect the principles of democratic accountability and the rule of law.

• the right of individuals to personal liberty, liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith   and worship;
• the right of association;
• the right to private property;
• free choice of occupation;
• the right to information so as to enable the exercise of one's rights meaningfully.

While tolerance is integral to liberalism, the ILG will not tolerate intolerance.

The ILG believes that the business of government is governance, not business.

The ILG is opposed to any kind of monopoly.

The ILG believes that technology is needed to promote human development and draws attention to the fact that the growth of liberalism has been contemporaneous with the development of science and technology.

The ILG affirms that active and participatory citizenship at all levels is essential for sustaining a liberal and democratic society.

Above all, the ILG believes in the need to uphold values and excellence; character and integrity.

To develop men and women with such faith and principles is the real task and goal before liberals.

The National Headquarters of the ILG shall be located at Mumbai or any other location as may, from time to time, be decided by the National Executive. Similarly the Headquarters of the State branches of the ILG shall be located at the state capital or at any other location as may, from time to time, be decided by the State Executive concerned.

The following will constitute the elective bodies of the ILG:

The National Executive
State Chapters
Local Chapters

Membership shall be open to individuals and like-minded organisations who are in agreement with the objectives and principles of the ILG as stated in clause 2.

1. Categories
   There shall be four categories of members:
   Life Member, Active Member, Active Student Member and Ordinary Member.
   
   
2. Subscription
   
   1. Life Member : An Entrance fee of Rs.1000/- and a one time fee of Rs.1000/- payable at the time of enrolment or in two equal installments payable within the financial year of the application for Life Membership.
      
      
   2. Active Member : An Entrance fee of Rs.200/- and an Annual fee of Rs.200/-.
      
      
   3. Active Student Member : An Entrance fee of Rs.100/- and Member an Annual fee of Rs.100/-.
   4. Ordinary Member : An annual fee of Rs.10/-.
      
      
   5. Notwithstanding the above all those who have been on the membership roll as on the day of the adoption of this Constitution shall be entitled to renew their membership without payment of an entrance fee. Those who opt for Life Membership will be requested to pay the enhanced membership fee.
      
      
   6. Renewal of Membership : Renewal of membership becomes due on April 1 of each year. Active Members and Active Student Members shall renew their membership by payment of annual membership fee on or before May 31 of each year.
      
3. Enrolment
   
   1. Applications for Life Membership, Active Membership and Active Student Membership should be proposed and seconded by a Founding Member initially and thereafter by a Life / Active / Active Student Member of the ILG and scrutinised and approved by the Local Chapter. Where there is no Local Chapter, such applications can be scrutinised and approved by the State Chapter and / or by the National Executive.
      
      
   2. Life/Active/Active Student Members have the right to enrol Ordinary Members.
      
      
4. Allocation of Membership Fees
   1. Life Membership - Entrance fee of Rs.1000/- to be capitalized by the National Executive. The one-time life membership fee of Rs.1000/- to be allocated as follows:
      
      
      1. National Executive - 40%
         
         
      2. State Chapter - 20%
         
         
      3. Local Chapter - 40%
         
         
   2. Active membership and Active Student Membership - To be allocated as follows:
      
      
      1. National Executive - 40%
         
         
      2. State Chapter - 20%
         
         
      3. Local Chapter- 40%
         
         
   3. Ordinary membership -
      
      Local Chapter - 100%
      
      
5. Termination of Membership
   On the recommendation of the State Executive or on its own initiative when required, the National Executive shall have the power to terminate the membership of a Life/Active/Student/Ordinary Member for actions that involve moral turpitude, or for expressing publicly views that are contrary to the objectives of the ILG as laid down in Article 2 of this Constitution. The National Executive shall however give the member concerned an opportunity to explain why his/her membership should not be terminated.

6. National Executive

• The National Executive shall consist of a President, two Vice-Presidents, a Secretary, a Treasurer and a Public Relations Officer.
  
• The President and the Vice Presidents shall be elected by the delegates at a National Convention.
  
• The President shall nominate the Secretary, the Treasurer and the Public Relations Officer from among members of the Indian Liberal Group.
• The National Executive shall conduct the day-to-day activities of the ILG and take policy decisions, when required between National Convention.

1. The National Executive shall authorise the setting up of a State Executive in a State where there are at least 50 members.
2. State Executives shall consist of a President, two Vice Presidents, a Secretary, a Treasurer and a Public Relations Officer.
3. The President and the two Vice Presidents shall be elected by the Life/Active Members/Active Student Members of the ILG in the State concerned at a State Convention. Ordinary Members are not eligible to vote.
4. The President shall nominate the Secretary, the Treasurer and the Public Relations Officer from among members of the Indian Liberal Group in the State concerned.
   
5. State Executives shall monitor the work of the Local Chapters in their State and will be responsible for policy pronouncements vis-a-vis the State concerned.

8. Local Chapters  

1. Any municipal ward in a city or town or a village with at least ten members shall be eligible to form a Local Chapter. When membership exceeds fifty by at least ten, the ward/village will have the option to form another Local Chapter in the same ward or village with a slightly different name to distinguish it from the other Local Chapter in the area.
2. The National Executive may, on its own or on the recommendation of the State Executive, authorise the formation of a Local Chapter.
   
3. A Local Chapter shall consist of a President, two Vice Presidents, a Secretary, a Treasurer and a Public Relations Officer
4. The President and the two Vice Presidents shall be elected by the members of the Chapter concerned at a meeting of members of the ward/village convened for the purpose, within the ward or village concerned. The President shall nominate the Secretary, the Treasurer and the Public Relations Officer. Ordinary members are not eligible to vote.

1. A National Convention of the ILG shall be held every alternate year.
2. The main business before these biennial Conventions shall be the election of the President and two Vice Presidents.
3. The Convention shall also decide on policy matters and amendments to the Constitution of the ILG.
4. The National Executive shall draw up the business of the Convention and give adequate notice to delegates to move resolutions for the consideration of the Convention. If the situation warrants, the National Executive can convene an emergency Convention in between the intervening years.
5. Attendance at the Convention shall be open to all members of the ILG. Voting will, however be restricted to Life Members, Active Members and Active Student Members who have been members for two consecutive years preceding the last Convention. Ordinary members are not eligible to vote.

All meetings of the various elective bodies and of the Convention shall be called by the President or by the Secretary in consultation with the President concerned.

National Convention - At least 4 weeks

National Executive - At least 3 weeks

State Executives - At least 2 weeks

Local Chapters - Local Chapters shall meet on a fixed day each month. The day to be decided by the Local Chapter concerned.

50% of the Life/Active Members/Active Student Members shall constitute the quorum
for meetings of the National Executive, State Chapters and Local Chapters. If there
is no quorum, the meeting will stand adjourned for 30 minutes from the time announced in the notice of meeting. Thereafter the meeting can be called to order if at least three members are present, of which one is an office bearer.

1. Voting at Meetings shall be by simple majority on all matters other than amendments to this Constitution which shall require a two-thirds majority of those present and voting.
   
   
2. Presidents at the National, State and Local levels shall preside over their
   respective meetings and have the casting vote in case of a tie.

The National Executive and State Executives shall endeavour to meet at least twice
a year, the Local Chapters must meet at least once a month.

Bank accounts can be opened by the National Executive, State Chapters and Local
Chapters to be operated jointly by any two office bearers or members of the elective
body concerned.

The Financial year of the ILG shall be from April 1 to 31st March of each year.

Proper accounts shall be maintained and audited by a qualified person who is not a member of the elective body concerned. The Accounts shall be open for inspection by any Life/Active Member/Active Student Member. The National Executive shall frame rules for this purpose.

The Indian Liberal Group can, by a decision of the National Executive, affiliate with any like-minded national or global organisation.

8. Mr. S. V. Raju
9. Mr. Nitin B. Raut
10. Mr. Anil Saldanha
11. Dr. Y. Sivaji
12. Mr. G. K. Sundaram
13. Mr. Prakash Tandon
14. Dr. Mary Thomas