The moment has come for the Society’s Annual General Body Meeting when all the society members meet and discuss certain relevant matters. All Societies are required to attend this annual event. By August 14, the Annual General Body Meeting must be concluded. The deadline for having these sorts of meetings may be postponed by up to three months with the Registrar of Societies’ approval, but the deadline shall not be extended further. The Annual General Body Meeting (AGM), which is the only time the entire society meets to discuss various issues pertinent to the organisation, is required to be attended by all members. With the chairperson’s approval, any member of the meeting may bring up a topic that is not on the agenda but is appropriate for discussion. If any accounting is involved, members may check account books and submit questionnaires before the Annual General Body Meeting (AGM). All the society members need to attend this meeting because it happens once a year, and this is the only time when all the functioning and important agendas of the society. After the AGM is done, the decisions are taken in respect of majority voting.
What is Annual General Body Meeting?
Several significant regulations are established during the general body meeting when monthly expenses are also decided. The first general body meeting must be convened three months from the date the society registered. The Chief Promoter is supposed to call it and run it, but in his absence, anyone else who has been given the go-ahead by the Registrar can take over.
The first general body meeting must be announced to all society members 14 days in advance, and a notification must be placed on the notice board of the organisation. The society should request membership nominations for a temporary working committee in the same notification.
Essential Aspects of the Annual General Meeting
- A society operates for whole years, and while operating, there might be a lot of agendas on which the opinion of members shall be required. Moreover, certain agendas that are based on future events but require decisions and planning to be done today. Therefore, in the Annual General Meeting, the problems of the society are determined, and the most favourable decision is put forth for the betterment of the society. According to the specified provisions, the AGM shall be done till August 14 or till any date as prescribed in the society’s bye-laws.
- If the organisation cannot conduct the meeting till August 14, it is required to define the reason for the delay and take permission to extend the date of the AGM from the Registrar. This date of holding the AGM cannot be extended to more than three months. Furthermore, suppose the Registrar is not satisfied with the explanation given for the delay in holding the general meeting. In that case, he will appoint an authorised official to take the AGM at the expense of the organisation.
- The majority of topics that will be covered during the Annual General Body Meeting (AGM) must have a connection with the society’s policies, finances, and future course of action. Any number of agendas or topics can be discussed at the AGM; nevertheless, some issues, including the election of members, the appointment of auditors, and modification to the policy governing the amounts of costs, among other things, can only be resolved at an AGM. Therefore, AGM[1] is an important event conducted once in a year in which decision is taken on all the crucial matters of the organisation.
Planning Required For Conducting a Successful Annual General Meeting
- Firstly, the meeting of the managing committee is called to decide the date of the AGM. In order to get maximum participation, make sure that the meeting does not fall on any holiday or during long weekends.
- Next is to decide the place of the meeting. Also, the committee will be responsible for deciding a room where the meeting can take place and a large audience can gather together simultaneously.
- The members of the society must receive the letter at least 21 days before the meeting.
- Make sure that a proper audit of the accounts has been done, and before the AGM, all the accounts shall be signed by the President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
- Select the auditors who will work with the company for the coming year and also decide upon the remuneration the company will pay them.
- Ensure to prepare a complete Annual Report before conducting the AGM. Furthermore, the report must include previous accomplishments of the managing committee along with the future plans that the committee has decided to accomplish in the coming year.
- Annual report’s copy shall be given to every member of the society.
- Gather the minutes of the previous AGM, along with making a list of all the resolutions that were passed the previous year.
- The documents related to the matters that will be discussed in the coming AGM shall be complied with before the meeting.
- Books of accounts shall be open for review by the members at any time.
- All the questions asked by the society members must be answered.
- The Committee members are also in charge of taking care of the administrative details, which include, among other things, making arrangements for catering if any refreshments are going to be served during the meeting and ordering extra copies of the Annual Report for printing on the day of the meeting.
Preparation of AGM
Once the date and time of the AGM are decided in the meeting of the managing committee, the preparation of the AGM shall be started keeping in mind the following things:
- Check whether the audit is complete before the meeting, and the treasurer, honorary secretary, and chairman must sign the audit report while ensuring that the audit process is complete.
- Everyone must be aware of the conduction of the meeting at least 14 days before the date of the meeting.
- A registered mail shall be sent to all the members of the society who are not present there and inform them about the meeting.
- Annual reports of the society’s past and future work shall be made before the meeting.
- All the members of the meeting must be given the annual report.
- All participants of the meeting shall be informed that they are supposed to bring the annual report along with them during the meeting.
- Keep a few extra copies of the annual report at the time of the AGM.
- Reports or previous AGMs must be there at the time of the meeting.
- There is a need to hire a decorator who arranges the necessary things for the meeting, such as chairs, sound system, table, etc. Moreover, a caterer must be contacted to arrange food, snacks, water, etc.
- The minutes of the previous year’s meeting, along with the approved resolutions of the previous year, must be complied with during the AGM.
Minutes of Meeting
The interim secretary designated during the meeting or sent by the Registrar will receive the minutes of the general body meeting from the previously elected presiding officer. A society’s initial general body meeting establishes the groundwork for subsequent meetings. As a result, everything must be correctly recorded and overseen with great care. The designated person must record the minutes of meeting to remember the matters that were discussed in the meeting at the time of taking action on such issues. Moreover, minutes are short and crisp pointers explaining everything amount the meeting. Also, the minutes of the current year’s AGM are compiled and presented during the next AGM of the society, along with the annual report that specifies the working of the society and its accomplishments.
Conclusion
A solid administrative structure is a crucial basis for a society to operate efficiently. In setting the foundation for society’s future, the general body meeting is essential. The initial general body meeting includes a variety of important matters, including choosing a working management committee, setting monthly charges, and authorising costs.
To guarantee the largest possible turnout, the meeting must be conducted within three months after the society is registered, and all members must be made aware of it. The initial general body meeting can set the tone for the society’s future success if properly recorded and presided over. For getting more information about registering a society, you can take guidance from Corpbiz.
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