July 16, 2007
Dear DOSCO

Re: Review of the Process for Election of the Office Bearers of the DSOBS

At last years Annual General Meeting held in school over Founder’s, the tradition of following consensual convention in the process for “election” of Office Bearers of the DSOBS was sought to be challenged. The house rose to the occasion and persuaded all to adhere to the existing convention but also mandated the Executive Committee of the DSOBS to review the process and make suitable recommendations for the future in order to avoid recurrence of the same. You may recollect I had, in my open letter to you featured in the January 2007 issue of the Rose Bowl (please refer the last but one paragraph), alluded to this matter.

To review the existing Rules and Convention and make recommendations, a Sub-Committee was formed comprising of;
Arun Bharat Ram (Chairperson) – Past President
Sunil Munjal – Past President
Arvind Nigam – Legal Luminary (OB and IPSS Member)
Kapil Bhalla – EC Member
Vivek Seth – EC Member
Gautam Chadha – President, DSOBS

The Sub-Committee formulated a set of proposals which were then discussed and debated together with the EC and the following has emerged.

Proposal for Amending the DSOBS Office Bearers Election Process as Unanimously Approved by the Executive Committee of the DSOBS

Election of an EC member:
EXISTING RULE: elected annually at the AGM – no election process prescribed.
CONVENTION: Representation by decade (current age determines) – elected via batches of the decade through the Class Reps. Serves a 4 year term. The composition of the EC would be:
President - 1
Vice President - 1
University Rep - 1
Upto the Age of 30 years - 1
Between 30 and 40 years of age - 3
Between 40 and 50 years of age - 3
50 Years of age and above - 2
President’s Nominee (optional) - 2
PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE RULE:
The existing process of seeking the involvement of the decade involved through the Class Reps of the 10 batches should continue. This process affords a strong likelihood of the proposed candidate being known to most OB’s within that decade – in person, by reputation, or, otherwise – given that the age difference cannot be more than 10 years at the outside. The process is also democratic and close enough to involve all interested within the decade. Over the years hopefully the elected person will be actively involved and responsible to broadly reflect the views of the OB’s from within his decade.
An elected EC member will serve a 2 year term with a maximum of two consecutive terms, i.e., a total of 4 years. An EC member cannot seek to return to the EC for at least 6 years after serving his term. The composition would continue as per the convention but will be regularized through the amendment to the rule.

Election of VP/President:
PRESIDENT:
EXISTING RULE: elected (annually) at the AGM – simple majority.
CONVENTION: VP automatically elevated to President and serves a 2-year term.
PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO RULE:
The VP should automatically be elevated to President after serving as the VP. The President has a 2 year term. This alleviates the need for the VP and President to be re-elected every year and protects the society from being held hostage to a number count on the floor of the house!

VICE PRESIDENT:
EXISTING RULE: elected (annually) at the AGM.
CONVENTION: The EC and Past Presidents sit together to find consensus. Nominations received through Class/Regional Reps and process starts at least 6 months prior to AGM. The VP serves a 2-year term.
PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO RULE:
*Election process – at least 6 months prior to the AGM where a VP is due for election, we constitute a Selection Committee comprising of 6 members made up as follows: 2 members from the EC, 2 Past President (PP) Nominees, the Vice President and the President (we have opted for representation from within the EC vis-à-vis from any member of the DSOBS as it is the body that has a “pulse” of the society and the persons involved will be active and involved – also that they are “elected” members representing their generation by age). The EC elects its representatives by secret ballot and members serving on this committee will not be eligible to offer themselves as a candidate for VP for at least 4 years subsequently and cannot serve on the committee for a second consecutive term. One PP will rotate off the committee every year, i.e., the first committee will have one PP serving a single term and the other serving two terms and subsequently the rotation gets regularized (one PP is sought to continue into a second term to lend some continuity and support to the committee as all others will all be new members). A Past President cannot serve on the committee for 4 years after completion of his term.
*Six months out, the committee invites interested candidates to submit their names with a time limit of 3 months prior to the AGM. A candidate’s application must be supported, in writing, by 5 members of the DSOBS.
*The selection committee deliberates to seek unanimity however in the event of a dead-lock, the President will abstain from casting a vote.
*The choice is made known 45 days prior to the AGM and will be posted on the DSOBS website and broadcast via email. The choice will also be mentioned in the next issue of the Rose Bowl.
*Assuming the choice is unanimous the person is formally “elected” at the AGM.
*Any person, not having been considered by the Selection Committee and seeking to offer himself as a candidate can do so with at least 30 days notice (prior to the AGM) to the Secretary of the DSOBS. This person should have at least 5 supporting signatories from amongst the DSOBS community.
*Should there be such a situation, a ballot (postal/electronic) will be held post the AGM and results announced within 30 days after the AGM. The election process will be overseen / supervised and conducted by a person or persons constituting an Election Committee duly qualified to do so and will be nominated by the EC and made known at the AGM. During these 30 days there will be no VP however there will be a President and the other EC members.
*The results of the ballot will be deemed to have the sanction of the AGM.
*The VP will serve a two year term.

The present rules of your society were framed in the 1940’s by the then Head Master, Arthur E.Foot. A copy of the same is posted on your website, www.dosco.org. Mr Foot’s vision was for of an active and engaged alumni grouping rising above individual needs, contributing to the continued well-being and success of The Doon School, to mutually support and assist one another, and, to “give” to society through a multiplicity of mediums. Arthur Foot’s 6 page Memorandum of Association and Rules and Regulations of the DSOBS have stood the test of time. It took some 50 years before the need for a set of “conventions” was felt – in 1996 the convention for the composition and election process for the Office Bearers of the DSOBS was first introduced which was later marginally amended in 2003.

However, we have evolved over time and while we must retain the original spirit of the DSOBS, we are now challenged with a need to review the Rules of your society. The recommendations above will need to be agreed upon at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting to be held in school on Sunday, 07 October 2007. An amendment to the Rules requires a majority of 2/3rd members present at the AGM. Allow me to remind you that it is your society – each one of you has an equal share and vote and you determine the well-being of your society.

I appreciate much of the above may seem alien to many. It was to me until I got involved some 7 years ago – involuntarily! Needless to say please feel free to query as needed – my email address is grchadha@gmail.com. While doing so please do inform your school number/house and year of leaving school (batch of?).

And do let us know whether you agree with the proposed amendments – please click here.

I look forward to your participation in what can be a telling moment in the history of the DSOBS.

With Best Wishes,

Gautam Chadha
President
The Doon School Old Boys’ Society
New Delhi, India