Constitution of SARAD

1) Name: This association designated as " South Asian Regional Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists " (SARAD) was founded on 2nd October 1999 in Kathmandu, Nepal during the First South Asian Regional Conference of Dermatology (SARCD). This association is a league of Dermatological Societies of the SAARC ( South Asian Association of Regional Co-operation) countries.

2) Objectives: The objectives of the SARAD are to:
a) Establish and promote close personal and professional relations among Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists of the SAARC (South Asian Association of Regional Co-operation) countries.
b) Encourage common strategies towards advancement of education, care and prevention of skin diseases, leprosy and sexually transmitted diseases of the region.
c) Promote research, training and mutual exchange of knowledge and data for the benefit and care of the communities of the SAARC countries.
d) Represent Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology of the region in international organizations.
e) Organize the South Asian Regional Conference of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology every two years.

3) The Logo: The logo of SARAD shall have seven petals of different colours representing the seven countries of the region with a cross section of skin and hair and two snakes coiling around, was adopted as the official logo of the association.

4) Office: a) Registered Office: The SARAD shall have and continue to maintain a registered office in Kathmandu, Nepal. All legal matters arising from the constitution are subject to the law of the registered office. This registered office shall be maintained by the regular members of the executive committee of that country.
a) b) Executive Office: The location of the executive office of the SARAD shall be designated by the executive committee. The duration of SARAD is not limited.

5) Membership: The membership of SARAD shall consist of member societies and affiliated member societies of the SAARC region.
a) a. Member Societies: A national society in the field of dermatology, venereology and leprology may apply to become a member society of the SARAD by providing, in writing to the secretary general information about the society, the names of the officers and the constitution of the society. Following an affirmative vote of the executive committee the society shall become a member society of SARAD upon payment of the membership fee. Such membership shall be limited to one national organization of a country. Election to membership shall entitle the society to elect three members to the executive committee and to participate in all activities of the SARAD.
b) b. Affiliated Member Societies: When more than one society exist in a country in the field of dermatology, venereology and leprology such society may apply to become an affiliated member society of the SARAD by providing, in writing to the secretary general information about the society, the names of the officers and the constitution of the society. Following an affirmative vote of the executive committee the society shall become an affiliated member society of SARAD upon payment of the membership fee. Such membership shall entitle the society to participate in all activities of SARAD and to advise the member society of that country in the selection of the three members to the executive committee.

6) Membership fee: Member societies: US Dollars 100 every two years
Affiliated member societies: US Dollars 50 every two years.
If membership of a member or affiliated member society is less than 10 members, no membership fees shall be levied. The number of members shall be monitored every 2 years.

7) Honorary individual members: The executive committee of the association from time to time shall elect honorary members from among those who have a special contribution to Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology. Honorary members shall have all facilities of membership except the right to vote and hold office. .

8) Executive Committee: The executive committee is the governing body of the SARAD. The executive committee is empowered to: .
I. a) act in furthering the objectives of the association. .
b) represent the interests of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology in relation to other organizations and governments of the region. .
c) prepare the agenda of the general meeting and meetings of the executive committee. .
d) outline the organization and approve the scientific programme of the conference (SARCD). .
II. Composition of the Executive Committee: The executive committee shall be composed of regular members and honorary committee members. The regular members shall be elected on a country basis. Three members per country shall be elected by the respective member society. If several societies exist in one country the delegates shall be nominated by consultation between societies of that country. .
III. Duration of office: The members of the executive committee shall hold office for a period of two years or until the next SARCD and may be re-elected to a maximum continuous period of 6 years. .
IV. Office Bearers: The regular members at a meeting held towards the latter part of the conference shall appoint the following office bearers from among the members of the executive committee. .
President 1, Vice President 1, Secretary General 1, Joint Secretary 1, Treasurer 1. If more than one name is proposed and seconded for a post the election shall be on a secret ballot of the regular members. The office bearers shall hold office for a period of two years and may be re-elected for two consecutive terms. The President shall as far as possible be elected on a rotational basis among the SAARC countries. .
V. Honorary members of the executive committee: The immediate past president and secretary general of the conference (SARCD) and the president and the secretary general of the next SARCD shall be honorary members of the committee. They shall serve a term of two years. The honorary members of the committee shall have no voting rights at committee level. .
VI. Ad Hoc members: At the discretion of the executive committee up to five consultants can be elected as ad-hoc members of the committee. The ad hoc members shall have no voting rights at the committee. .
VII. Powers and duties of the office bearers of the executive committee: .
A) President: The president shall be the presiding officer at all general meetings and meetings of the committee. In the absence of the president the vice-president will preside. In the absence of both, the members of the committee shall nominate one member of the committee to preside. .
B) The secretary general and in his absence the joint secretary shall keep minutes of all the meetings. Secretary general shall convene meetings of the association and the committee. He or she shall be the custodian of all records of the SARAD. .
C) The treasurer: The treasurer shall be the principal accounting and financial officer of the association and shall be responsible for maintenance of adequate books of account. The treasurer shall be responsible for the receipt and disbursement of funds of the association with the approval of the president and or the secretary general. .

9) General meeting of SARAD: A general meeting of the SARAD shall be held every two years during the early part of the conference (SARCD) under the president. The agenda shall include: .
A. Election of regular members to the executive committee on recommendations of the member societies. .
B. Secretary's report. .
C. Treasurer's report and statement of accounts. .
D. Transact any other business brought to the attention by the executive committee. .
E. Resolution if any. Notice of every resolution to be moved at the meeting should reach the secretary at least 30 days prior to the date of the meeting. .
Quorum of the meeting shall be 25 members. .

10) Meetings of the executive committee: A meeting of the executive committee shall be held as far as possible once a year. The first meeting for the new term shall be towards the latter part of the conference and a second a year later. The quorum for such meetings shall be five members representing at least two countries. The regular members have a vote each at all meetings. The president shall have a casting vote. .
A. The agenda for the first meeting shall include: .
i. Election of office bearers. .
ii. Choose the location of the next SARCD. .
iii. Transact any other business brought to the attention by the committee. .
B. The agenda of the second meeting held one year after the SARCD shall include: .
i. The report of the last conference by the president of the SARCD. .
ii. Financial report of the last conference. .
iii. Proposal of the budget and scientific programme of the next SARCD. .
iv. Establishment of fees for the next SARCD on advice from the local organizing committee. .
v. Transaction of any other business. .
C. Emergency meetings: The president or any two members of the executive committee may convene an emergency meeting with a quorum of five. Emergency meetings may be held at any place, any time or by telephone, mail or email. .

11) South Asian Regional Conference of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology (SARCD): .
i. The regional conference shall be held as far as possible every 2 years on a rotational basis among the SAARC countries. .
ii. The proposal for the conference and the selection shall take place during the first meeting of the committee. .
iii. The proposal to host the conference shall name the president and the secretary general of the forthcoming conference. .
iv. The members of the SARAD shall be charged a reduced conference fee than non-members. .
v. The committee shall establish the conference fee on advice from the organizing committee. .
vi. The organising committee shall remit 50 percent of the savings from the SARCD to the Association (SARAD) within a period of one year from the completion of the conference, for the operations of SARAD. .
vii. The official language of the conference shall be English. .

12) Alteration of Bylaws: The bylaws of the association may be altered at a general meeting of the association after 30 days notice. Two third majority shall be required to amend the bylaws. .

13) Auditors: The executive committee shall nominate one or two persons as auditors. The auditors need not be members of the SARAD and shall have legally stipulated obligations as auditors. .

14) Removal of a member or a committee member: If a member or a committee member behaves in such a manner to bring disrepute to the association or if a written complaint from a minimum of three members is received by the secretary against a member or a committee member, such matter shall be included in the agenda of a executive committee meeting. Such a member shall be notified of the complaint and shall be asked to submit an explanation in writing. Following due consideration such a member could be discontinued by a two third majority of the committee if found guilty of the charges. .