Pakistan Botanical Society: Bye - Laws

APPROVED IN THE MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OF THE PAKISTAN BOTANICAL SOCIETY (2011-12) HELD AT ISLAMABAD ON 26^thJUNE 2011

Article 1: Name

The Society will be known as the "Botanical Society of Pakistan"

Article 2: Aims and Objectives

Following are the aims and objectives of the Society:

1. To cultivate, promote and disseminate knowledge of all branches of plant science.

2. To encourage and stimulate interest in research in all disciplines of plant science in Pakistan.

3. To undertake activities necessary for fulfillment of the above mentioned objectives.

4. To cooperate with other organizations having similar objectives.

Article 3: Membership

1. The Membership will be of the following categories:

     i.   Regular Member
     ii.  Student Member
     iii.  Emeritus Member

     iv.  Honorary Member
     v.   Institutional Member
     vi.  Life Member 
 

Proof of the transcript/degree in Plant Sciences (attested copy) will be provided to the concerned (Chief Editor) for attaining membership of the first two categories. Other relevant fields for membership, if ambiguous, will be clarified by the Chief Editor PJB.

i. Regular Member
Any person holding BS, BSc (Hons, Four year) or M.Sc. in Plant Science or related fields is eligible for membership of the PBS

ii. Student Member
An M.Sc., BS or BSc (Hons) student in Plant Science or related fields may become a student member. However, he/she will not have the right to vote but will enjoy other privileges.

iii. Emeritus Member
An Emeritus member may be elected by the Society upon recommendation by the Council from such members who have been actually engaged in research or teaching in Plant Sciences for at least ten years and have retired from active service. He/She will enjoy all the privileges of a life member.

iv. Institutional Member
An Institutional member may be firms, partnership companies, institutions, libraries, government departments and other corporate bodies who are interested in the promotion of knowledge of Plant Sciences and who have paid the prescribed institutional membership dues. Each institutional member will nominate a representative who will have the right to cast one vote. They will enjoy all the privileges of regular members.

v. Life Member 
Any member may become a life member upon the payment of subscription equivalent to 10 year dues of a regular member or as fixed by the Council from time to time.

Article 4: Membership Fee

The fee for membership of different categories will be as follows:

The annual fee will be payable in advance in the month of January every year. The fee also includes the subscription of PJB. Bills for paying membership fee will be sent to the members in November every year and those who do not pay will automatically cease to continue as a member.

Article 5: Office Bearers

The office bearers of the Society will comprise a President, four Vice Presidents (one from each province of the country and one from Azad Jammu & Kashmir), a Secretary/ Treasurer and a Joint Secretary. They will serve for one term and not be eligible for reelection to the same office in the following term. Those who intend to contest for the elections of any of the Society office bearers must hold 16 years of education in the subject of Botany.

Council

The Council will comprise of the President, Vice Presidents, the Secretary/ Treasurer, the Joint Secretary and seven Councilors. The seven Councilors who will be co-opted by the elected office bearers of the Society will be taken one each from an organization so long as any of the elected office bearers is not already from the organization. The Chief Editor will serve as a member of the Council. The Council will remain functional for a period of one term.

Article 6: Duties and Powers of Office Bearers and Council

1. The President will have the following powers:

 i. He will preside the meeting of the Society and the Council.
ii. He will have the power to sanction all expenditure.
iii. He will generally supervise the affairs of the Society.
iv. If there is any question as to the interpretation with regard to a provision of the constitution of the Society or any of its bye-laws, his ruling will be final. .

2. The Vice Presidents will perform such functions as may be entrusted to them from time to time. One of the Vice President elected by the Council will in the absence of the President exercise the powers and perform the duties of the President.

3. The Secretary/Treasurer of the Society will have the following powers:

i. Under the general direction of the President, he/she will act as the Chair Executive Officer of the Society. He will act as the Secretary of the Council.
ii. He will maintain a record of the proceedings of the Society and its Council.
iii. He will have the power to sanction expenditure not exceeding Rs. 10,000/= on any single item.
iv. Under the general supervision of the President, he/she will convene meetings of the Society and the Council.

4. The Council of the Society will have the following powers:

i. All business of the Society will be conducted be the Council.
ii. The meetings of the Council will be convened by the Secretary under the general directions 
of the President or on the request of at least three members of the Council.
iii. If there is any vacancy amongst the office bearers or the members of the Council, the Council may fill in the vacancy for the remaining term.

Article 7: Election of the Office Bearers
 

Election of the office bearers will be held after the commencement of "National meeting of Plant Scientists. The President will constitute a special committee of three members for conducting the election of the office bearers. The committee will be  convened by the Chief Editor (Pakistan Journal of Botany) and any other two members nominated by the President. This committee will invite nominations for various office bearers of the Society. The President and General Secretary will not be eligible to contest for the following term.

Article 8: Committees
 

All temporary committees will be appointed by the President according to the needs of the time in consultation with the other office bearers and members of the Council.

Article 9: Publications 

The regular publication of the Society will be known as the "Pakistan Journal of Botany".

Editorial Board: The Council will appoint an Editorial Board comprising a Chief Editor and seven members representing different disciplines of Plant Science. The member will assist the Chief Editor in editing the publication of the Society The Editorial Board will evaluate the research papers submitted for publication or refer them to appropriate reviewers, if necessary.

Article 10: Meetings 

An annual general meeting will be held as the Council may decide. Additional meetings may be called by the Council as it deems fit and proper.

Article 11: Divisions 

Branch organization unit within the Society known as divisions may be established on a geographical or subject basis provided approval of the parent Society is obtained.

Article 12: Auditing 

Prior to each annual general meeting, the President will appoint an auditing committee to audit all the accounts of the Society. The audit report will be read at the annual meeting and ratified by the Council as well as the General Body.

Article 13: Amendments

The articles of this constitution may be amended by a majority of two third members present at an Annual Meeting.

Article 14: Dissolution

In the event of dissolution of the PBS, its assets left after meeting its liabilities, if any, will be transferred to another society or institution or fund or trust approved U/S 150(1) of the Income Tax Act, under intimation to the Central Board of Revenue within three months of the dissolution.