Date: 04 Dec 2012
Our country is presently passing through a very difficult phase and I believe that nothing les than take-over of political system by veterans (retired from Armed Forces & para-Military Forces - both served under Union Government ) with patriotic fervor will set the things right. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Presently the constitution & members of all the political parties in India are such that India has no future with these politicians in politics and in political power. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ I am sure that the following ‘Draft Constitution’ I have prepared for ‘Veterans Party of India’ VPI (which will be almost same for ‘Veterans Society of India’ VSI too with appropriate amendments to make it suitable for a NGO) will convince your goodness that if veterans really take interest in VSI / VPI then India will emerge with flying colors within a very short span of time. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Initially VSI shall be registered at ‘Registrar of Societies’ and later on it can be transformed into VPI which shall be registered at Election Commission of India (ECI) after Section 3 Article III of guidelines for the registration at ECI of political party is amended. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ [(i)- Because as per this section 3 Article III, the membership of a political party has to be open to all adult Indian citizen. Therefore ‘Veterans Party of India’ will be registered only after 2014 (or earlier whenever Parliament elections takes place) when we expect to get good strength in Parliament to get this section 3 Article III, amended in such a way that a political party may have restricted membership also (such as of veterans in our case). \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ (ii)- Meanwhile VPI can be registered under other provisions of law like Society Act under any suitable name preferably ‘Veterans Society of India’ VSI (generally as per following VPI Constitution) and its candidates can fight Parliament, Assembly and Local Bodies Elections as Independent candidates. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ (iii)- Organizations other than political parties can also take up public / political issues as has been done for the last few years by Anna Hazare etc of ‘India Against Corruption’ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ (iv)- Law allows independents to contest elections. Only practical consideration is that they should have adequate resources and support base to contest the elections. Moreover there are number of independents in Parliament and Legislative Assemblies]. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ I further request your goodness to provide me the email address of veterans (from all over India) who may be interested in launching this VSI / VPI, so that I may request them also to take interest in VSI / VPI. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ I offer my services to VSI / VPI and prepared to go and live anywhere for doing initial work of launching VSI / VPI and later on too, if VSI / VPI needs my participation. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Looking forward for the pleasure of hearing from you. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Regards. \\\\\\\\\\ Yours truly \\\\\\\\ Hem Raj Jain \\\\\\\\\\\\\ (Author of 'Betrayal of Americanism') \\\\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\\\\ VETERANS PARTY OF INDIA (DRAFT) \\\\\\\\\\\\\ Regd. Office :- \\\\\\CONSTITUTION & RULES \\\\\\\\\\ Article (1)- NAME:- \\\\\\\\\\\ Name of the party shall be “Veterans Party of India (VPI) and it shall be registered at ‘Election Commission of India’ with its Registered office at ……. \\\\\\\\\\\\\ Article (2)- EXTENSION:- \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ The VPI Constitution shall come in force from ……… and it shall extend to the entire territory of India. \\\\\\\\\\\\\ Article (3)- OBJECTIVES:- \\\\\\\\\\\ The main objective of VPI is to provide a political platform to the veterans (Retired members of Armed-Forces & para-Military Forces of India - both served under Union Government) so that with highly patriotic and disciplined membership, the VPI can help India emerge as a respectable and responsible member of the world community with dignity and honor, through the constitutional – institutional framework of ‘Secular Democratic Republic of India’. \\\\\\\\\\ Article (4)- MEMBERSHIP:- \\\\\\\\\\\\\ (i)- Any Indian citizen male or female retired member of Armed – Forces & para-Military Forces can become member of VPI. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ (ii)- Any Indian citizen (only one adult male or female) close family member or close relative or close friend of one serving member of Armed-Forces & para-Military Forces can become member of VPI. \\\\\\\\\\\\\ Provided :- who is the close family member or close relative or close friend of serving member of Armed-Forces & para-Military Forces shall be decided exclusively by National Executive. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ (iii)- Any civilian Indian citizen (adult male or female) can also become, member of VPI provided their numbers do no exceed one third of total members at Local Level. \\\\\\\\\\\\ (iv)- Every member shall be registered at some Local Level and shall sign in the register kept for this purpose at respective Local Level once a month. Otherwise his / her membership shall be terminated. \\\\\\\\\\\ Provided :- The member can sign in the register of some other Local Level if he / she out of station due to any reason. \\\\\\\ (v)- Every member shall pay membership fee of Rs 10 /- per month irrespective of his voting rights. Otherwise his / her membership shall be terminated. \\\\\\\\\\\ Article (5)- ACTIVE MEMBERS :- \\\\\\\\\\\\\\(i)- Every Local Level shall have active members and their names shall be maintained in a separate register at District Level \\\\\\\\\\\\ (ii)- Active membership shall be taken by filling-up the prescribed Form in which undertaking shall be given that being active member he / she will actively participate in all the political programs of VPI like agitations, demonstrations, public meetings, dharnas, Jail-Bharo etc. \\\\\\\\\\ Article (6)- SIX LEVELS OF ORGANIZATION :- \\\\\\\\\\ VPI is constituted on the fundamental basis that there shall be six levels of the organization in ascending order in which there shall be two organs. First the ‘Council’ and second the ‘Executives’. The ‘Executives’ of every level shall be elected by the ‘Council’ of respective following Levels :- \\\\\\\\\ (i)- Local \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ (Depending upon population and size of territorial area it may be village or small town or ward of big city / metro etc) \\\\\\\\\\\\\ (ii)- Tehsil / Taluka (Administrative unit) \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ (iii)- District (administrative unit) \\\\\\\\\\\\\ (iv)- Division (Administrative unit) \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Provided : - (A)- Big cities and Metros may be designated by State Executives as Division and District and may have appropriate numbers of Districts and Tehsils and Local Levels in it. \\\\\\\\\\\\\ (B)- Regarding number and demarcation of Local, Tehsil and District Level the matter shall be decided by State Executives \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ (v)- State (Administrative unit) \\\\\\\\\\\\\ (A )- Union territories (UT) shall be treated as State \\\\\\\\\\ (B)- Regarding Local, Tehsil and District Level of UT, the matter shall be decided by National Executives. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ (vi)- National (Administrative unit) \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Article (7)- VOTING RIGHTS :- \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ (i)- Electoral college of every Council at all levels (except Local) shall be all the Councils of one lower Level \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ (ii)- Electoral college of Local Council shall be all the members of VPI in that Local Level. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ (iii)- Electoral college of every Executive at six Levels shall be its respective Council \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ (iv)- Active member shall have two votes as voting right ONLY & ONLY at Local Level. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ (v)- In elections ONLY & ONLY for Local Council (A)- People’s representatives shall be entitled for three votes (B)- Ministerial people’s representatives (Ministers at Union and States, Executives of local bodies etc) and Chairman of Boards etc shall be entitled for four votes. \\\\\\\\\\\\ Article (8)- OFFICE BEARERS :- \\\\\\\\\ (i)- Every office bearer of VPI shall be the member of VPI. \\\\\\\\\\ (ii)- All the members of all the Councils and Executives of all the six Levels shall be the office bearers of VPI \\\\\\\\\\\ (iii)- All the elected representative (MPs, MLAs, MLCs, and elected representatives of Local Bodies etc) and Chairman of Boards etc shall be the members of Councils of respective Level. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Provided:- If constituency falls in more than one Level then State Executive shall decide for Levels up to Division whereas National Executive shall decide for State Level \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ (iv)- All the head of Fronts & Cells of VPI shall be the members of all the Councils at six Levels. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Article (9)- EXECUTIVE OFFICE BEARERS :- \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ (i)- President and General Secretary shall be there in all the Executives of all the six Levels. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ (ii)- Treasurer shall be there at Tehsil, District, State and National Level \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ (iii)- Other Executive Office Bearers shall be decide by Presidents of all the Executives of all the six Levels by taking approval from National Executives for State Level and from State Executives for all other Levels. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Article (10)- FINANCES OF VPI :- \\\\\\\\\\\ (i)- In addition to membership fees, VPI shall accept contributions from any other legally permissible source \\\\\\\\ (ii)- VPI shall have its bank accounts in Nationalized Banks at National, State, District and Tehsil Level \\\\\\\\\\ (iii)- Respective Treasurer shall withdraw money from bank with counter signature of respective President or General Secretary. \\\\\\\\\ (iv)- Treasure shall keep up-to maximum allowed amount of cash with him for retail expenses of VPI authorized by National Executives. \\\\\\\\ (v)- The annual return of audited accounts of VPI shall be filed by National Executives \\\\\\\\\\\ (vi)- Distribution of VPI funds for various Levels shall be decided by National Executives. \\\\\\\\ Article (11)- AFFILIATE FRONTS & CELLS :- \\\\\\\\\ (i)- VPI may recognize Trade-Fronts at all Levels for Farmers, Workers in Employment Guarantee Programs, other Workers, Business, Industries etc. \\\\\\\\ (iii)- These Fronts shall be separate entity registered under Trade Union Act. \\\\\\\\ (iii)- Any of the Front shall be expelled by National Council from the affiliate status if found to indulge in anti – VPI activities. \\\\\\\\\ (iv)- VPI may have Cells for Students, Women, Media, Legal, Human Rights, NRI etc. \\\\\\\\\ Article (12)- COOPERATION WITH ITERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS – \\\\\\\\\ In this age of globalization, in the interest of developing secular-democratic-republic global ideology, the VPI will cooperate at international forums with Veterans-Party of other countries and their fronts and cells \\\\\\\\\\ Article (13)- SELECTION OF ELECTORAL CANDIDATES:- \\\\\\\ (i)- Selection of VPI candidates for all the elections shall be decided by respective level in which constituency wholly or partly lies. \\\\\\\\\\ (ii)- These selected candidates shall be approved by one higher Level. \\\\\\\\\\\ (iii)- No Candidate for MLA or MLC shall be fielded by VPI without the approval of its State Executive \\\\\\\\\\\\ (iv)- No candidate for MP shall be fielded by VPI without the approval of National Executive. \\\\\\\\\\\ (v)- Approval of Chairman of Boards etc shall be given by State and National Executives respectively. \\\\\\\\\\\\ Article (14)- APPEALS :- \\\\\\\\\ Decision of every Level shall be appealable by the aggrieved to higher Level / Levels \\\\\\\\\\ Article (15)- DISCIPLINE :- \\\\\\\\\\\(i)- For maintaining discipline in VPI there shall be Disciplinary Committees nominated by Councils of District, State and National Level \\\\\\\\\\\\ (ii)- Any punishment (including expulsion from VPI) shall be meted-out by fair trial and in accordance with the tenets of natural justice including by reasonable opportunity to aggrieved to defend.\\\\\\\\\\\ Artivle (16)- INTERNAL OMBUDSMAN :- \\\\\\\\\\\ (i)- There shall be an internal Ombudsman of VPI who shall give his / her findings in a complaint (against any Office Bearers of any of six Levels) which constitute a criminal offence. \\\\\\\\\ (ii)- Disciplinary Committee shall take this finding into consideration before taking any disciplinary action against such accused Office Bearer. \\\\\\\ Article (17)- REMOVAL OF OFFICE BEARERS :- \\\\\\\\\\\\ (i)- Any elected Office Bearer shall be removed from office for any reason by two third majority of electoral college which elected him / her with simple majority. \\\\\\\\\\\\ (ii)- Other Office Bearer shall be removed only through disciplinary committee. \\\\\\\\\\\ Article (18)- COPIES :- \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ (i)- Any member of VPI shall be able to get the copy of membership list by paying prescribed fees as per rules from District Executives within 7 days. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ (ii)- Any member of VPI shall be able to get the copy of minutes of meetings of any Council or Executive by paying prescribed fees as per rules from related Executives within 15 days. \\\\\\\\\\ (iii)- Any member of VPI shall be able to get the copy of annual returns of audited financial accounts of VPI by paying prescribed fees as per rules from National Executives within one month. \\\\\\\\\\\\ Article (19)- MEETINGS :- \\\\\\\\\\\ (i)- Every Council at all six Levels shall meet minimum four times in an year. The gap between two such meetings shall not be more than four months. \\\\\\\\\ (ii)- Every Executive at all six Levels shall meet minimum 12 times in an year. The gap between two such meetings shall not be more than forty days. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ (iii)- One third members shall complete the quorum in all these meetings but in adjourned meeting after half an hour the present members shall complete the quorum. \\\\\\\\\\\ (iv)- The tenure of all the Councils and Executives of all the six Level is two years hence Executives of all these Levels shall ensure that new Councils and Executive are in place before two years. \\\\\\\\\\\\ Article (20)- AMENDMENT TO CONSTITUTION & RULES :- \\\\\\\\\\\ (i)- Any amendment in this Constitution of VPI can be carried out by two third majority of voting members of National Council. \\\\\\\\\\\\\ (ii)- For day to day smooth functioning of VPI, the National Executives with simple majority shall frame the Rules of VPI and shall be entitled to also amend these Rules with simple majority. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Article (21)- TEMPORARY ARRANGEMENT :- \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Till first organizational elections take place in ……. the following ‘Contingency Body’ of Office Bearers of VPI shall continue to work with all the powers of the Office Bearers vested by this Constitution & Rules of VPI, including the power to nominate the Office Bearers against vacancies at all the six Levels \\\\\\\\\\\\\\ 1- 2- etc \\\\\\\\\\\ ================================================== 000000000