Article – 1 : NAME
1.1. The name of the Society shall be the THE SOCIETY OF KRISHI VIGYAN, hereinafter abbreviated as the ISKV.

Article – 2 : AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

• To work in close association with learned societies and organizations having similar objectives.
• To disseminate the knowledge of agriculture and allied fields through meetings, discussions , seminars, conferences and publications.
• To provide suitable forum to diffuse scientific knowledge among scientists and to facilitate personal contacts among scientists working in the Krishi Vigyan Kendra in different parts of the country.
• To publish journals, bulletins, reports, books and newsletter for the advancement of the aims of the society.
  Article – 3: Membership and Privileges

3.1. The ISKV shall consist of members, life members, donor members, institutional members and honorary members.

3.2. Honorary Member
Honorary Members and their privileges are as under

3.2.1. Honorary membership is the highest honour bestowed by the ISKV. The Honorary Membership shall be conferred by the Council on an individual in recognition of his/ her outstanding contributions related to the objectives of ISKV, irrespective of his/her membership of the ISKV and his/her nationality. The total number of Honorary Members shall be limited to 10 at any time and only one shall be honoured in a year. On conferment, he shall be exempted from payment of membership subscription, but shall continue to enjoy the privileges of Members. The conferment of the Honorary Membership shall be in the form of a citation at the Annual Convention.

3.2.2. The task of identifying the persons to be considered for conferment of Honorary Membership of ISKV shall be assigned by the Council to a Committee consisting of (a) Three Honorary Members, (b) one of the Vice-Presidents, and (c) Secretary. The Council will nominate one of the three above Honorary Members as Chairperson and the Secretary, ISKV will function as its Member-Secretary. The Council shall consider the recommendations of the Committee and take a final decision.

3.3. Life Member
3.3.1. The scientists/persons on payment to the value of 5 years annual subscription at the current rate ( subject to revision by the Executive Council) made be enrolled as life members. The life members shall enjoy all the privileges of the members. They shall, however, not be entitled for back issues of the journal of the society published before enrolment. The application for the life membership is accepted in the prescribed format.

3.4. Member
3.4.1. Scientists holding a degree in any branch of agriculture / vety.sci./home science engaged in teaching/research/extension after paying the prescribed fee ( subject to revision) can apply for membership of the ISKV in the prescribed format . The Council of the Society shall have a discretion to admit or refuse admission on adequate grounds. They shall be entitled to receive the journal of the society free of charge from the year from which subscription is paid, will have right to vote and hold an office of the society provided they have been members ( ordinary or life member) for minimum period of two years prior to the year of the election. A Member shall also have the privileges of attending the General Body Meetings, holding of offices of the ISKV, and presenting papers at the technical sessions, seminars and symposia, and other scientific conferences organized by the ISKV.

3.4.2. The membership subscription is subject to change, on the recommendation of the Council and on approval of the General Body. The annual membership subscription shall be for a calendar year and shall be due on the 1st January each year. A member who pays the annual membership subscription on or before 31st March each year only, shall have the right of voting, holding office, and other privileges of the ISKV. The defaulting members can rejoin the society any time in that calendar year but shall not have right to receive issues of Journal published prior to that date. The defaulting members on the 31st December of that year shall automatically cease to be members and their names shall be struck off from the register. If such a defaulting member wants to rejoin the ISKV, he/she can do so by paying the membership subscription.

3.5. Donor and /or Corporate Member
3.5.1. Any person or organization whose association with the ISKV is conducive to the interests of the ISKV and who pays a lumpsum amount 50 times the annual subscription of a member to the funds of the ISKV, may be admitted by the Council as donor and /or corporate member. A donor and /or corporate member shall receive, free of cost, a copy of the Journal of the ISKV from the year of admission. A donor and /or corporate member or his/her representative may attend and take part in the deliberations of scientific meetings organized by the ISKV, but shall not have right of voting and holding any office of the ISKV.

3.6. Institutional Member
3.6.1. An organization/ institution/ association of people/ body of individuals having interest in the validation, refinement and dissemination of technical knowledge in the field of agriculture and allied sectors can apply for institutional membership in the prescribed format. The Council of the ISKV will consider such applications and shall have the discretion to admit or refuse admission on adequate grounds. On admission, an institutional member will be required to pay annually a sum equivalent to two times the prevailing annual membership subscription. The institutional member shall have the right to receive journal, newsletter and any other material as decided by the Council of the Society on complimentary basis. A representative of the institutional member can attend scientific meetings of the society. Institutional member shall not have any right of voting or holding office.

3.7. Relinquishing Membership
3.7.1. Any member may resign, on application in writing, from the membership of the ISKV, but shall not be entitled to any refund of any fees /subscription paid by him/her in advance. If such member decide to rejoin the ISKV, he/she shall be treated as a new member.

3.8. Membership Disqualification
3.8.1. Any member found indulging in acts contrary to the objectives, purposes and activities of the ISKV can be removed from the membership by the Council by following the due procedure as laid down in bye-laws.

Article – 4: Executive Council
4.1. The administration, direction, and management of the affairs of the ISKV shall be entrusted to a Executive Council. The executive council which shall be composed of President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Joint Secretary, Assistant Secretary; Chief Editor and five councillors .All persons on the Council shall work in honorary capacity.

4.2. The members of the council, except past-Presidents (ex-officio members), shall hold office for a term of two calendar years following the Annual General Body Meeting at which they are elected/inducted or under extra-ordinary circumstances till the second following Annual General Body Meeting. Any casual vacancy occurring in the Council may be filled by the Council from amongst the Councillors or from eligible members outside the Council. In case of vacancy of the President, the Vice-President shall act as the President. The individual so elected by the Council shall retire from the Council after completing the, unexpired term of the person whom he/she replaced, but shall be eligible for re-election to the Council.

4.3. The President, upon completion of his/her term of office, shall become a member (ex-officio) of the council so long as he/ she continues as member of the ISKV. A President shall not be eligible for re-election for the post of President any time in future.

4.4.1. Before the end of December , the secretary shall place before the council a list of vacancies on the council for the next two years. Well in advance of the Annual General Body Meeting, the Secretary shall notify each member with voting right, the list of vacancies on the Council and the list of members with voting right, and shall invite nominations, in the prescribed proforma in favour of the members in the voters’ list for election to the Council to fill the vacancies.

4.4.2. Each nomination duly proposed by a member and seconded by another, each with voting right, shall contain consent of the nominee, failing which the nomination shall be rejected by the Council.

4.4.3. The Secretary shall scrutinize the nominations, and prepare a list of candidates of valid nomination in respect of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Joint Secretary, Treasurer and Assistant Secretary, as the case my be. Election for these positions shall be held by the postal ballot. The Secretary shall prepare the ballot papers and send to the Members of the Council for marking their choice. Last date for the receipt of the ballot papers from the Members of the Council shall be a working day preceding the day of the Council meeting in which the results of this election are to be considered and approved. Counting of the ballots shall be done on the day of Council meeting by a committee constituted for this purpose by the Council and the result shall be placed before the Council. In the event of there being no valid nomination(s) for any one or more of the above position(s), the Council suo moto shall recommend the name(s) for filling such vacancy(ies). The Council shall recommend the names for being elected as President, Vice-President, Secretary, Joint Secretary, Treasurer and Assistant Secretary as the case may be, to fill up the vacancies.

4.4.4. Five councillors shall be elected by postal ballot, if the number of nominations exceeds five. In case the number of nominations is less than five, the Council shall have the power to nominate any eligible member of ISKV to make it five. Upon a ballot for election, each voter shall be entitled to cast one vote for each of the five vacant places. Unless all the five vacant places are voted for, the ballot paper shall be treated as invalid. The President of the ISKV shall constitute a committee consisting of a Chairperson and not less than nine members who are not contesting for election, to scrutinize the ballot papers received and count the votes on some day prior to the Annual General Body Meeting. They shall jointly prepare and sign a report giving a statement of the votes cast for each candidate, the total number of ballot papers issued, number of ballot papers received, and the number of ballot papers rejected, and shall submit it to the Secretary. The President or his/her nominee shall arbitrate any dispute regarding the validity and counting of ballot paper. The report shall be presented at the Annual General Body Meeting. The candidates securing highest number of votes shall be declared elected. In case of equality of votes, the Chairperson at the Annual General Body Meeting shall have a casting vote.

4.4.5. Non-receipt of a ballot paper by any voter shall not invalidate any election provided that documentary evidence of mailing/ supply is produced by the Secretary, ISKV on demand by such a voter not receiving the ballot paper.

4.5. The Council shall constitute Statutory Standing Commitees, viz., Policy and Bye-Laws Committee, Budget and Finance Committee, Technical Programme Committee and any other committee(s) as per the need. The Council while constituting such committees shall determine the terms of reference, and composition, as well as quorum for transaction of business. The Secretary, Joint Secretary and Treasurer shall be the Member-Secretary of Standing Committees on Policy and Bye-Laws, Technical Programme and Budget and Finance, respectively. Each of such Committees shall report to the Council at each meeting of the Council and a comprehensive summary or full report of its activity shall be made a part of Council records. In case of non-acceptance of one or more of the recommendations of any Statutory Standing Committee by the Council, the reasons for doing so will be recorded.

4.6. The Council shall have the power to make any nomination for and on behalf of the ISKV as may be necessary.

4.7. The Council shall, for the purposes of auditing the accounts of the Society of each year, appoint a firm of Chartered Accountants and shall fix remuneration for the professional services rendered.

4.8. The Council shall have the power to frame T.A. rules and other service rules of the ISKV.

4.9. The Secretary, in consultation with the President, shall have the power to invite an individual or individuals to participate in the deliberations of the Council meeting for specific purposes. The invitee(s) shall not have right of voting, if there is any.

4.10. The Secretary shall have the authority of overall management of the ISKV within the framework of rules and regulations and shall have the responsibility of safe upkeep of property of ISKV. In this management, he/she shall be assisted by the Treasurer, Joint Secretary and Assistant Secretary. The Secretary shall have power to delegate his/ her power(s) to these officers. In the absence of Secretary from the headquarters, Joint Secretary shall look after the work of the Secretary, and in the absence of the latter, the Assistant Secretary.

4.11. The Secretary shall have the power with approval of the President to appoint on such remuneration and on such terms and conditions of service as the Council may decide from time to time, as well as to terminate the services of any of the paid employees of the ISKV after giving one month’s notice. A member of the Council, if he/she accepts any job of the ISKV on remuneration shall forfeit the membership of the Council but can continue as a member of ISKV.

4.12. The Treasurer shall, jointly with the Secretary, manage and be responsible for the financial affairs of the ISKV, viz., receipt of funds, maintenance of accounts, and its auditing, reporting to the Council and at the Annual General Body Meeting. The Treasurer, in consultation with the Secretary, shall have power to make sundry expenditure.

Article-5: Editorial Board
5.1. Editorial Board composed of Chief Editor and twenty Editors shall be constituted by the Council and shall hold office for a term of two years. Each Editor shall be eligible for re-induction. The Secretary and Joint Secretary shall be ex-officio members of the Editorial Board. The function, duties and responsibilities of the Editorial Board shall be governed by the bye-laws framed by the Council.

Article – 6: Council Meeting
6.1. The Council shall meet at least once in four months and more often, if necessary. A member of the Council or anyone else invited to transact any business of ISKV will be eligible for travel support as per norms laid by the Council, provided travelling allowance from no other source is claimed and a certificate to that effect is furnished along with the claim.

6.2. The agenda for the meetings of the Council shall be drawn by the Secretary, in consultation with President, if necessary.

6.3. The Secretary, in consultation with the President, shall convene meetings of the Council and shall intimate all the members of the Council the date, time, venue, and agenda of the meeting at least 15 days before the meeting.

6.4. The non-receipt of the notice and the agenda of the meeting by any member of the Council shall not be a cause for invalidating that meeting and decisions taken thereat, provided that there is sufficient evidence of the notice being sent.

6.5. Eight members of the Council shall form a quorum. In case the quorum is not complete, the meeting will be adjourned for few minutes and resumed thereafter recording a resolution to that effect. In such adjourned and reconvened meeting only the already circulated agenda will be transacted excluding ‘Any other matter with the permission of the Chair’.

6.6. The President, or in his/ her absence, the Vice-President shall take the Chair. In the absence of the President and Vice-Presidents, the members of the Council present shall elect a Chairperson.

6.7. The ordinary method of voting shall be by show of hands, but the votes shall be taken by ballot on a motion to this effect being duly carried. The Chairperson shall be entitled to vote along with other Council members. When the votes are equal, the Chairperson shall have a casting vote.

6.8. Any Council member unable to be present at any meeting of the Council may send his/ her opinion in writing on any item of the agenda and this shall be duly considered at the meeting.

6.9. The Council shall have power to take a decision in respect of an item of importance through a postal ballot of all the members of the Council.

6.10. True and faithful minutes of the proceedings of every Council meeting shall be drawn by the Secretary/ Joint Secretary/ Assistant Secretary or in their absence by one of the Council members appointed by the Chairperson. A copy of the minutes of each Council meeting, shall be circulated to all the Council members inviting their comments regarding correctness of recording and shall be placed at the next Council meeting for confirmation.

6.11. The confirmed proceedings shall be maintained as a permanent record of the ISKV.

Article – 7 : General Body Meeting
7.1. The General Body Meeting shall be a business meeting, open to Members, Life Members and Honorary Members and shall be held during the National Conference of the Society of Krishi Vigyan . This meeting shall be a part of the Annual Convention (Article 10) and shall be held at a place and time fixed by the Council.

7.2. The notice of the meeting stating the place, date, time and agenda of the meeting shall be sent to all the members of all categories at least one month before the date fixed for the meeting. Under unavoidable circumstances, the period of notice may be less.

7.3. The order of the business at the meeting shall normally be, subject to addition or deletion at the discretion of the Council, as follows:
(a) confirmation of proceedings of the last Annual General Body Meeting;
(b) action taken on the decisions made in the last Annual General Body Meeting;
(c) declaration of any gift or donation received by the ISKV;
(d) declaration of names of members elected to the vacancies on the Council for the next two years;
(e) presentation and adoption of the Council’s report on the working of the ISKV for the period since the last Annual General Body Meeting, with modification if any;
(f) presentation, consideration and adoption of the statement of accounts for the previous financial year;
(g) presentation, consideration and adoption of budget estimates for the next financial year;
(h) any other report and communication from the Council;
(i) selection of topic of symposium or seminar for the next year, if any;
(j) selection of venue for the next meeting or convention;
(k) remarks by the Chairperson;
(l) vote of thanks.

7.4. Fifty members shall form a quorum.

7.5. The President or in his/ her absence the Vice-President shall preside at the meeting. If none of them is available, the members present shall elect a Chairperson.

Article – 8: Extra-ordinary General Body Meeting
8.1. The Extraordinary General Body Meeting shall be convened by the Secretary on the direction of the President or on a majority decision of the Council, to transact special and specific business needing immediate attention and decision, and which cannot be deferred till the next Annual General Body Meeting. Such meeting may also be convened on a requisition signed by not less than 20 per cent of the members with voting right on the day of requisition, stating the business to be transacted thereat.

8.2. Notice stating the date, time, venue, and agenda of the meeting shall be sent to all members with voting right at least fifteen days before the date of meeting.

8.3. No business other than that included in the agenda shall be transacted at the meeting.

Article – 9: Annual Convention
9.1. The Annual Convention of the ISKV will normally be organized before September each year at a place and time decided by the Council to facilitate formal transactions of KVK scientists and others interested in technology transfer.

9.2. The Annual Convention will include, subject to addition and deletion by the Council, the following: (a) Inauguration, which will include inter alia conferment of Honorary Membership, induction of Fellows, presentation of awards and honours; (b) Special Lectures; (c) Symposium/Seminar/ Conference, if any; (d) Scientific Sessions; and (e) Annual General Body Meeting of the ISKV.

9.3. The President or in his/ her absence the Vice-President, shall preside at the inaugural function. In case of non-availability of any one of them, the Secretary and the available Council members will decide the Chairperson for the inaugural function.

9.4. The Technical Programme Committee will work out the details of all the sessions.

9.5. A concluding session of the Annual Convention will be held in the end, which will broadly transact the following: (a) brief report of the Secretary, (b) highlights of each scientific session, (c) major recommendations emanating from the Convention, (d) Presidential address, and (v) vote of thanks.

9.6. A concise report of the Convention shall be published in an early issue of the Journal of the ISKV, following the Convention.

Article – 10 : Publications
10.1. The ISKV shall issue or sponsor such publications as in the judgement of the Council will best fulfil the aims and objectives of the ISKV.

10.2. The publications shall include; (a) periodical publication of the Journal of the Society of Krishi Vigyan (b) Newsletter; (c) occasional publication of Bulletins; and (d) others.

10.3. The Council shall have the power to fix rate of subscription to the Journal and price of back volumes of Journal, price of bulletins and other publications, concessional rates to members of the ISKV not in arrears of membership subscription, trade discount to subscription agencies and book sellers, advertisement rates in publications, supply of complimentary copies of the publications, fixing printers and rate of printing, and other financial matters concerned with printing and sale of publications.

10.4. The Secretary, jointly with the Editorial Board, shall have the responsibility of timely publication of the Journal and other publications, and also of improving and maintaining the standard and quality of papers published.

10.5. Except for invited articles, only original papers from members, not in arrears of membership dues, shall be eligible for consideration in the Journal and other publications of the Society.

10.6. The Council shall have power to frame bye-laws in the matters related to publications.

Article – 11 : Finance
11.1. The financial year of the ISKV shall be from April 1 to March 31 of the following year, both days inclusive.

11.2. The Council is authorized and empowered, to receive and collect dues and other debts of the ISKV, to receive by bequest, donations, grants, or otherwise, either movable or immovable property, and hold the same absolutely or in trust, and to invest, reinvest, and manage the same, and to apply the said property and income accruing there from, to the objectives of the ISKV. The Council shall have the power to allocate and expend funds of the ISKV for purpose of carrying out the objectives of the ISKV.

11.3. The funds of the ISKV shall consist of dues from the members and Donor Members, donations, subscription to the Journal, sale proceeds of publications, grant-in-aid, advertisement income, etc.

11.4. The Treasurer, jointly with the Secretary, shall have powers to expend within the limits of approved budget, and in case of unforeseen circumstances contingent expenditure, not exceeding Rs. 10000/- at a time. In case of non-budgeted expenditure, approval of the Council shall be obtained ex-post facto.

11.5. All securities and money which are property of the ISKV shall be lodged for safe custody in the name of the Society of Krishi Vigyan in such scheduled bank/ banks/ Government of India Undertakings, as approved by the Council. The Treasurer shall operate the bank accounts, deposits with the Government of the India Undertakings, and deal in all Government Securities.

11.6. Term (Fixed) deposits (Long Term Deposits) and their withdrawal shall be done by the Treasurer.

11.7. The Treasurer is authorized to keep with him/ her an imprest advance not exceeding Rs. 5000/-.

11.8. The cash balance with the ISKV shall not at any time exceed Rs. 25000/- except under special circumstances.

11.9. Payment of a voucher for Rs. 10000/- and above shall be made by account payee cheque or demand draft. Any deviation shall be recorded on the voucher, stating the reasons there for.

11.10. The accounts and voucher for receipts and payments shall be subject to scrutiny by the Standing Committee on Budget and Finance . The annual receipts and payments accounts shall be audited by a firm of Chartered Accountants, to be appointed by the Council each year.

Article – 12 : Indemnity
12.1. Every member of the Council of the Society shall be indemnified out of the properties and funds of the Society against all losses and expenses incurred in the discharge of his/ her duties, except such as shall happen through his/ her own wilful neglect or dishonesty; and each one shall be chargeable only for such money, fund or property as he/ she shall himself/ herself actually receive in discharge of his/ her duties and each shall be answerable for his/ her own act, and not for that of any other person, not for the insufficiency of any security or other money payable by or to the Society, not for any loss or damage which may happen in the discharge of his/ her duties unless the same shall happen through his/ her own wilful neglect or dishonesty.

Article – 13 : Bye-Laws
13.1. The Council shall make, amend or repeal such Bye-Laws not in conflict with the existing Rules and Regulations of the Society. Such Bye-Laws shall require the assent of one-half of the total number of members of the Council and shall become operative from the date of such assent unless a later date is specified.

Article – 14: Amendments
14.1. Any amendments, viz., additions to, deletion or alterations in the existing Rules and Regulations of the ISKV shall be done only at the Annual General Body Meeting or at the Extraordinary General Body Meeting, under exceptional circumstances.

14.2. The Secretary shall have the power to propose any amendment. Any petition for amendment in the existing Rules and Regulations of the ISKV and the reasons there for, shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary under signatures of not fewer than five members of the Council or not fewer than fifty members of the ISKV having voting right. This should be done any time before 31st July any year.

14.3. The proposal(s) for amendment shall be first scrutinized by the Standing Committee on Policy and Bye-Laws. The report of the Standing Committee after due consideration by the Council and recommendations thereof, shall be placed before the Annual General Body Meeting or Extraordinary General Body Meeting as the case may be. The recommendation of the Council shall be carried and declared if accepted by a two-third majority of the members with voting right present and voting.

Article – 15 : Headquarters
15.1. The Headquarters of the ISKV shall be at Kapurthala ( where the Society of Krishi Vigyan has been registered vide letter no. KPT/ARS/1885 of the 2013 on 12/12/2013 (Day to day working is taken care by Dr Manoj Sharma who was earlier Secretary and now Treasurer, operating from the premise of the Directorate of Extension Education, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana.

Article – 16 : Emergency Provisions
16.1. The Council shall have full powers to do all business in cases of emergency, notwithstanding any limitations herein laid down, and to deal with all matters not otherwise provided for in these Rules and Regulations including making such regulations as may appear conducive to the good administration of the ISKV and the attainment of its objectives, provided always that such regulations be not inconsistent with anything contained in these rules, and that they be reported for information of the next Annual General Body Meeting of the Society, and they be subject to revision or alteration by the Council or any Annual General Body Meeting or Extraordinary General Body Meeting of the Society.