24 ANNUAL CONFERENCE

APPEAL IS DISMISSED

ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF THE ORIGINAL IN GUJARATI

To,

Petitioner: The President, Indian Association for Canadian Studies, Vadodara,

Department of English, University of Mysore, Manas Gangotri,

Mysore.

Respondent: Dr. O. P. Juneja, Department of English, M. S. University of

Baroda, Vadodara.

Advocates: 1. Shri S. I. Patel, Petitioner’s lawyer

2. Shri R. M. Joshi, Respondent’s lawyer

Subject: The Bombay Public Trust Act 1950, vide the Item No. 70…

Indian Association for Canadian Studies, Vadodara.

Registration No. F/ 693, Vadodara.

RESOLUTION

(1). On being dissatisfied with the order issued on date 22/3/06 in view of the Change Report. No. 468/2002, the President, Indian Association for Canadian Studies, Vadodara has filed the present appeal vide the Public Trust Registration No. F/693/Vadodara under The Bombay Public Trust Act 1950, Item No. 70. The main matters that are submitted through the Appeal No. 38/06 are also entered under the registration of the said organization under the Society Registration Act 1860 and under the Bombay Public Trust Act 1950 too. The same have been submitted in the Change Report No 468/02 with due notarization. All required supportive evidences were presented, yet the present order has been issued ignoring any such evidences and considering the abjections raised by the opponent the Change Report has been rejected. Being dissatisfied with it, the present dispute has been entered before the court. Even if the Society Registration Act 1860 stays as the Central Act its provisions are ignored and the present order has been issued on 22/3/06 only on the ground of wrong interpretations of the Item No. 22 of the Bombay Public Trust Act 1950. Since the order carries a flaw of serious kind in the first instance it is fit to be cancelled in the first instance. Since the reasons mentioned in view of the said appeal seem to go against equity laws of natural justice it is fit to be rejected in the first instance. Since it has been issued on the ground of wrong interpretation of the evidences it is fit to be rejected. Since the learned Assistant Charity Commissioner possesses no powers or authority to reject it under the provisions of the Society Registration Act 1860 it is fit to be rejected. The learned Assistant Commissioner mentions a reason that the change report does not conform with the provisions of the Society Act, but he has not provided any support for it. Hence the order is fit to be rejected. Showing all such matters, a petition has been filed asking for justice and also to grant approval to the Change Report No 468/ 02. Along with it, the documents submitted are a copy of the Change Report, an attested copy of the Resolution of the Assistant Charity Commissioner, No 2. the Lawyer’s Power of Attorney, No. 3 Copy of the Notice, No. 4 Letter of the time permissible (mudat), No. 5 the Lawyer’s Power of Attorney, No. 6 Application to permit time (mudat), No. 7 Copy of the office letter demanding the record, No. 5 Letter of the Chief, Vadodara demanding the records, No. 9 to 13 Details of the application to permit time, No. 14 the details of the letter of the President, Indian Association for Canadian Studies that states, “Both the parties, viz. Indian Association for Canadian Studies and Professor O. P. Juneja have reached to an amiable agreement and hence the appeal is being withdrawn”, No. 14/1 Reconciliation Agreement, No 15. Reminder and the Copy of the Reconciliation Agreement, No. 16 Letter in reference of the Change Report No. 468/02 and No. 17 Letter No. 1162, dated 29^th May, 2006 in which the main matter is ‘amiable agreement and hence the Appeal is being withdrawn’ and a copy of the Reconciliation Agreement along with it and No. 18 Letter in the matter of the time permitted. Thus, the details submitted in view of the present suit are found to be on the record.

(2) The said petitioner (applicant) has filed an appeal in view of his dissatisfaction with the order of the Assistant Charity Commissioner, Vadodara in view of the Change Report No. 468/ 02. Since the said petition has been entered, considering it the learned Assistant Charity Commissioner has issued the present order with detailed analysis. One of the matters mentioned in the order is that no reference is made or clarification has been provided to the effect what kinds of amendments are entered in the Constitution. On behalf of the petitioner, the Closing Purshis has been submitted vide No 41. The arguments have been raised by the respondent vide No. 46. Against the objections raised by the respondent arguments are filed in written on behalf of the petitioner vide No 49 and the petitioner has submitted the Closing Purshis vide No 50. No oral evidences are presented from the either of the parties and as they are not willing so the matter is left to the order. Looking at the fact sheet No 1 and the papers enclosed with it, it does not get clear which rules of the constitution are amended and what kind of amendments are made. The petitioner has submitted the clarification vide No 33, but he does not mention what amendments are made or which matters are added. Looking at the amendments it is found that in majority rules from among the rules of the constitution merely additions to the rules are noticed. The constitution was registered in 1986 following duly the procedure of nominating a trustee to follow, and the same trustees continue to be on the record. Hence, it is known from the record that an election is not held as per the tradition of a follower. As indicated in Item 12 of the Society Registration act 1860, it needs to be verified whether the said procedure has been followed as it is required to follow in the interest of justice. Further, whether the circular agenda has been issued to all registered members along with the amended copy, whether any evidences are submitted for it, or whether the amended constitution has been approved of in the presence of the 3/5 members present at the special general meeting, no clarification to the effect has been submitted by the petitioner or no evidences are presented by him before the court. No evidence has been submitted to the effect that the circular has been sent to all the members of the organization. In view of the case, considering that the organization has 1000 registered members on its list, the copy of the amended constitution and its approval and any agenda sent to the members are not found to be submitted as proof on behalf of the petitioner. Not only that, looking at the proofs submitted in view of the suit it is not proved whether the amendments proposed in the constitution were approved in the presence of 3/ 5 members at the two special meetings, nor the petitioner has cared to submit the evidences to that effect. Further, the petitioner has not been able to prove that the society follows the legal procedure mentioned in the item 12 of the Society Registration Act 1860, etc. On considering the details submitted, the presented matter is found to be basic.

(3) Thus, on considering the memo of the appeal of the petitioner submitted and the matters in the order with which the petitioner expresses dissatisfaction, and considering the details submitted by the petitioner, it is found that if any agreement is entered by the affected parties on the part of the petitioner the same has been presented with the rejoinders to the effect “appeal is being withdrawn”. In that reference, it is found to have submitted the copies of the Reconciliation of Agreement. But it is found that the petitioner has not submitted any evidences, supportive facts or details that may be legally admissible in view of the reason for the appeal. Further, no representation or supportive details are submitted to the effect that any decision can be issued from here, or it should be done, in view of the Reconciliation Agreement between the affected parties or any provision available to that effect. In this reference, the judgment of the honorable Gujarat High Court as mentioned in the G. R. L. 42 between Lallubhai Girdharilal Parikh versus Acharya Shri Vrajbhushanlalji Balkrishnalalji (1967) that states, “Having regard to the scheme of the Act and the relevant provision there under and also objects of the Act, the Assistant or Deputy Charity commissioner or the Charity Commissioner in appeal under Section 70, has no power or jurisdiction to pass an order in accordance with the agreement between the parties”. Since the matter of the judgment is in view, no option is available in the present conditions. Hence, on the ground of the matters submitted the said appeal needs to be granted reasonable justice. In this condition, the appeal made by the petitioner does not establish its claim on the ground of the submitted details and proofs. Hence, in this matter the present appeal is found to be fit in all respects for rejection in the present conditions. Further, since the present suit was carried on from the year 2006 to the year 2009 and since the petitioner has not accomplished the matters of proof as per the set procedure and in acceptable manner and it is not proved that in the matter of the agreement no acceptable procedure has been followed the said appeal and the expenses incurred thereon are found fit for rejection in the present condition. It means that all the acting trustees working at the time when the appeal was filed will have to pay the sum of Rs. 2000/- (Rupees two thousand only) collectively from his/her personal property as it comes to each one’s share within 30 days to the P. T. A. Funds at the office of the Joint Charity Commissioner, Vadodara and the order to that effect would be appropriate. Besides it, whatever expense is incurred from the trust funds in view of the present suit, the total amount to that effect has to be collected deposited back to the trust funds by the acting trustees working at the time when the appeal was filed as it falls to each one’s share within 30 days from the date of this notice and the order to that effect would be appropriate. Further, it would be appropriate to carry on the functioning of the organization as per the provisions made in the interest of the organization and general public until an order is not issued by a competent authority.

(4) It is argued by the petitioner that as per the provision of the Society Registration 1860 the learned Assistant Charity Commissioner has no powers or authority. But the argument cannot be accepted. Because the Assistant Charity Commissioner receives authority in the region under him as per the provision of the delegation of powers under the Item 8 of the Bombay Public Trust Act 1950. Further, the point of ignoring the provisions of the Society Registration Act 1860 and that about the wrong interpretation of the Item 22 of the local law, The Bombay Public Trust Act 1950 too cannot be accepted in the present conditions. The reason is that the S. R. Act 1860 has been incorporated in the Item 2 (13) of The Bombay Public Trust Act 1950 and its definition has been expanded and made comprehensive. And the same has been basically discussed in the detailed order of the Assistant Charity Commissioner. Hence, those matters cannot not accepted in the present conditions.

(5). Thus, in an overall view, since the matter of the present appeal submitted to the Court is not duly established by the petitioner with relevant evidences and since the matter of the appeal is not established on the basis of the agreement, considering the matters submitted in view of the said appeal and in the interest of justified decision the final order has been issued as under:

THE FINAL ORDER

1. The appeal is dismissed.
2. All the acting trustees working at the time when the appeal was filed will have to pay from his/her personal properties the sum of Rs. 2000/- (Rupees two thousand only) each that falls to each one’s share to the P. T. A. Funds at the office of the Joint Charity Commissioner, Vadodara within 30 days.
3. All the acting trustees working at the time when the appeal was filed will have to redeposit in to the trust funds from their personal property the amount as it falls to each one’s share towards all collective expenses that have been incurred from the trust funds towards the legal suit within 30 days.
4. It has been informed that until orders are issued from the competent authority the work has to be carried out in the interest of the organization and in the public interest following the provisions mentioned in the document framed at the time of the foundation of the organization.
5. The order has to be conveyed to all concerned respondents of the suit and its copy will have to be sent to the Charity Commissioner, Gujarat State and the Assistant Charity Commissioner, Vadodara. The original record has to be sent back.

(R. V. VYAS)

Vadodara. Joint Charity Commissioner

Date. 29/ 08/ 2009 Vadodara Division,

Vadodara.

LETTER TO LIFE MEMBERS

Dear Life Member of IACS,

I write this in response to many inquiries that I have received regarding the current status of the Indian Association for Canadian Studies that all of us have created, nurtured and developed from its inception in 1985 till the last Annual General Body meeting held at Jammu University in February 2007 when all its activities came to a halt.

1. Court Order:
As some of you know that the then Presidents/Secretaries of IACS had filed ‘Change Reports’ in the office of the Assistant Charity Commissioner, Vadodara in 1997 and 2002 asking for change in the names of the Trustees and also the New Constitution accepted in 1995 in Pune. The Charity Commissioner vide its Order Number – 51 dated 22/03/2006 rejected all the change reports and passed the following Order: “This Change Report is rejected. Action should be taken to record this Order on the PTR and the concerned parties be informed about his Order” (for full version please visit our blog at: http://iacsvadodara.blogspot.com). This Order thus has the following implications:
• No activities of IACS including the new constitution, the elections, the office-bearers, and members of the Executive Committee are legal.
• The Trustees of IACS are the nine founding trustees.
• Only the initial trustees from Baroda can operate the academic, administrative, financial and other activities IACS.
• There already exists a bank account of the initial body and all money in whichever account of the IACS needs to be deposited and transferred there.

2. Consequences of the Order:
a) Consequently, a copy of the Order was sent to the then President, who did not conduct elections for the new EC at Jammu Conference in February 2007 and a Reconciliation Committeewas constituted by the General Body.
b) Subsequently, the Funding Agency in Canada has diverted the disbursement of their funds through other agencies and not through the prorogued IACS-EC. Some of your projects might have benefited from this.

3. Appeal to Joint Charity Commissioner, Vadodara:
An Appeal No. 38/2006 was filed against the above Order of the Assistant Charity Commissioner by President IACS in the office of the Joint Charity Commissioner, Vadodara in June 2006. As the authorized Trustee, IACS, I filed my reply in August 2006. It is still pending before the learned judge for a hearing.

4. Reconciliation Committee:
In order to find a way out of this situation created by the Appeal, the General Body of the IACS constituted a Reconciliation Committee at the Annual General Body Meeting held during the Annual Conference at Jammu University in February 2007. The members of the Committee are: Dr. R. K. Dhawan, Dr. Vimal Dhawan, Professor U. M. Nanavati and Dr. D. K. Pabby (convenor). This committee prepared a Reconciliation Agreement between the IACS and the Trustees. The Committee then approached me for an out of court settlement of the matter. Though there were major concerns from some members about the mismanagement of funds and other issues related to non deposit of the Life Membership Fees in the corpus fund, I went out of the way to accept the recommendations of the Reconciliation Committee so as to put IACS on track and signed the Reconciliation Agreement, already signed by Dr. R. K. Dhawan, on 04 September 2007. I gave a copy to my lawyer to submit it to the Charity Commissioner’s office. However, the EC was reluctant to accept the Agreement.

Following this reluctance from the EC, Canadian High Commission called a couple of meetings in Delhi. In order to resolve this issue finally, a special meeting was called by the Funding Agency on 31 October 2007 in Canadian High Commission in Delhi. This meeting was attended by all the members of the EC, representatives of SICI, representatives of Canadian High Commission and the representatives of the Canadian government in Ottawa, besides me.
It was unanimously decided to send the copy of the Agreement to the office of the Joint Charity Commissioner in Vadodara without any further delay. I would like to thank the High Commission, the Funding Agency and all those involved in this effort to solve this issue ‘out of court’.

However, the EC has refused to accept the Agreement and has not submitted the same to the Joint Charity Commissioner as an out of court settlement of the Appeal No. 38/2006 pending before him.

This action raises a basic issue: how can EC adjudicate on the Agreement that has been done following a General Body Resolution passed at AGM held at Jammu University? I may emphasise that this right vests with the GB alone, as it is the bigger body. Moreover, the term of office of the present EC has expired and is therefore defunct. How can a defunct or prorogued EC decide on an issue already settled by the General Body ?

I must bring it to your attention that the facts stated above may be verified from the members of the Reconciliation Committee and all others who attended these meetings. As some of you are aware I have posted all the documents on my blog at: http://iacsvadodara.com . Please visit it for more information.

As a concerned member of IACS, I am sure you do not wish the Association to stay in this state with a defunct/prorogued EC. I shall therefore appreciate a response in support of the Agreement so that we start the process of revitalizing our Association which has helped us in furthering our careers and scholarship in the field of Canadian Studies.

Please respond either by replying to his email or emailing me at: omjuneja@gmail.com . You may talk to me at: (0265) 2793366 (landline) or 91-9898438201 (mobile).

Yours in IACS, Om P. Juneja

RESULTS OF ICCS ELECTION OF AT-LARGE DIRECTORS

CONTACT ICCS-CIEC
International Council for Canadian Studies250 City Centre, Suite 303, Ottawa, Canada K1R 6K7Tel.: (613) 789-7834; Fax: (613) 789-7830; E-mail: gleclair@iccs-ciec.ca

ON THE HOMEFRONT
Result of the ICCS Election of At-Large Directors:

The ICCS is pleased to announce that Martin Howard of Ireland was elected for a second term as At-Large Director. He will hold the position of Treasurer. The election for the positions of At-Large Directors was held at the ICCS AGM on May 26. Three candidates (one from Ireland and two from India) vied for two positions. At the AGM, the President of the Nominating Committee, Prof. Cornelius Remie, informed the Board of Directors of the legal predicament faced by the Indian Association for Canadian Studies. This issue was discussed in camera and after due deliberation, the Board decided to allow the two nominations from India. However, it stipulated the requirement that the result of the vote be based on an absolute majority (i.e. 50 percent plus one vote). It also decided that if it did not elect two Directors-at-Large, it would hold an election next year to fill the position(s). The Board then proceeded with the vote. Only, Martin Howard received the required number of votes to be elected. An election for the second at-Large Director will then be held next year. The ICCS congratulates Martin Howard and sincerely thanks all candidates

FULL TEXT OF ORDER OF ASSTT CHARITY COMMISSIONER DATED 22 MARCH 2006 IN ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF THE ORIGINAL IN GUJARATI

Number - 51

IN THE OFFICE OF MR. Y.L. VYAS, ASSISTANT CHARITY COMMISSIONER, VADODARA.


Change Report Number: 486/2002


Applicant: Prof. Jameela Begum.

Vs

Opponent: Dr. O. P. Juneja.

Subject: Indian Association for Canadian Studies.
Trust Registration No. F/693/Vadodara.


RESOLUTION

The institution named Indian Association for Canadian Studies is registered in this office with Registration Number F/693/ Vadodara and Prof. Jameela Begum, the Applicant, has filed this Change Report with regard to the changes made in the Rules of the Association and also regarding the amendments/ additional rules. On examination of the supporting documents for the Change Report vide enclosures 1/1 and 1/2, it is found that these attachments contain the list of the names of the members of the Executive Committee and office bearers.

Having received the application of objections in this matter vide appendix-2, this matter is considered disputed, and Dr. O. P. Juneja, the Opponent, was served with a notice which was sent to him through Registered Post. This Notice has been sent and the acknowledgement receipts are enclosed in Appendix-4 and Appendix-5.

The applicant has sent a letter (vakilpattrak) appointing Learned Advocate K.C. Vyas as her pleader in this matter vide Appendix- 6 and after that the Opponent has filed his objections vide Appendix-7. The Opponent, Mr. O.P. Juneja has filed his vakilpattarak (Letter of appointment of Advocate) appointing Learned Advocate Niraj N. Shukla as his pleader vide Appendix -9. The objections raised by the Opponent have been replied by the Applicant vide Appendix-10. Appendix-11 contains a list of five documents submitted by the Applicant with a Xerox copy of the Minutes of the General Body Meeting held on 06/01/1995; a Xerox copy of the Letter dated 07/03/1995; a Xerox copy of the Constitution; a Xerox copy of Minutes of the General Body Meeting held on 25/04/1995 and a list of the annexure of 17 documents.

In this matter, the Applicant has submitted written arguments vide Appendix-25 and also vide Appedix-26, a list of three documents containing the Xerox copy of the Order of the Joint Charity Commissioner in the matter of Miscellaneous Application No. 32/02 and also the Affidavit submitted by the Applicant. Dr. Chandra Mohan has submitted an Affidavit against the objections raised by the Opponent. After having received a letter of objections from Dr. Jaydeepsinh K. Dodia in this matter by post, a notice was served to him for a hearing in this matter vide Appendix -31. He has, however, not submitted anything in this matter after that. The Applicant has (also) submitted explanations regarding the changes made in this matter vide Appedix-33. But there is no mention of what kinds of amendments have been made and where in the constitution vide Appendix-1 and that no clarification seems to have been offered regarding this.

In this matter, the Applicant has submitted “Closing Process” vide Appendix-41. And the Opponent has submitted written arguments vide Appendix-46. Opposing his arguments, the Applicant has submitted written arguments vide Appedix-49.The Opponent has submitted his “Closing Process” vide Appedix-50. Thus, both the Applicant and the Opponent have submitted their written arguments in this matter, but neither the Applicant nor the Opponent have given any oral proofs and (further that) they do not wish to give any oral arguments. The matter is thus pending for the Order.

Looking into the facts submitted in the “Change Report” as filed by the Applicant in this matter, some additions have been made to the Rules of the constitution. This is mentioned in Column-1 of the “Change Report” and the fact of the General Body Meeting held in Poona on 06/01/1995 is mentioned in the “Remarks” Column and the fact that the letter dated 07/03/1995 was sent to this office and also a copy of the old constitution is mentioned here. The fact that the copy of the Minutes of the meeting of the General Body held in Delhi on 25/04/1995 is also mentioned here. But, what kind of changes have been made to which particular Rules of the constitution or what additions have been made to the Rules of the Association cannot be inferred from entries made in column-1 and other documents submitted with the Change Report filed by the Applicant. However, the Applicant has submitted an explanation vide Appendix-33. Looking into this document, it is shown as to which Articles of the constitution have been amended, but what changes have been made, (and) what details have been added- these facts have not been mentioned. On examination it seems that the responsibility of finding the facts about which changes have been made or what has been added to the new constitution from the old constitution seems to have been left to this office. In reality, the applicant should very clearly show the details of the additions to the Rules of the constitution of the institution. However, if this Change Report is rejected just on this technical ground, it would not be appropriate in the interest of justice. Hence, after examination of this Change Report as submitted and also the Explanations offered vide Appendix-33, additions seem to have been made to the Preamble and Article-2, Article-4, Article-6, Article-7, Article-8, Article-9, Article-10, 11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,20,21,22,23,24 and 25. However, the fact that which Rules have been added has not been shown. Looking into these amendments, there seem to be additions to most of the Rules of the constitution.

With reference to this Change Report, it is necessary to look at the condition of the records (in our office). On examining the records, it is noted that this institution was registered in 1986 and that there were nine trustees at the time of registration and that they still continue to be the trustees of this institution on our records. Following the succession of trusteeship Rules, the term of office of the Executive Committee is for three years and that after three years the new Executive Committee is to be constituted through elections. However, there is no record of the fact that following this (Rule) any elections have been conducted and hence the Executive Committee which was recorded in 1986 still continues to be in existence. Taking this in account, the Applicant who has filed this Change Report is not a trustee on our records and that there is no clarification regarding the Resolution on the basis of which the Applicant was appointed (a trustee). After the registration of this institution, a Change Report Number 92/95 was filed regarding the amendments in its constitution. In this matter, it is noted that following Section-12 of The Societies Registration Act 1860, this change report (Number 92/95) was filed after a notice was served to the association to call a circular meeting .Taking into consideration these circumstances and also the Rules and Regulations recorded at the time of registration, there are six Clauses and sub Clauses in the old constitution, while 25 Articles are included in the newly submitted constitution. Considering these facts, there are a lot of changes and major amendments in the Rules and Regulations (of the constitution). It is observed that the mode of succession of trustees and the process of election are also included (in these amendments/additions). In the interest of justice, it is therefore necessary to examine this process with reference to section-12 of Societies Registration Act 1860. Under these circumstances, (it is necessary) to examine the fact whether or not this Change Report follows the laid-down procedure.

A list of the members of the Executive Committee during 2001-2003 is presented vide Enclosure Num. 1/3 of this Change Report in which Prof. Jameela Begum is shown as the President and that this Change Report is filed on the basis of a meeting held in 1995. However, there is no submission from the side of the Applicant, that is to say, Prof. Jameela Begum whether or not the Applicant was a member of the Executive Committee in 1995. Not only this but the Opponent in his letter of objections has stated that the Applicant is not a Trustee on the PTR and that the amendments made in the constitution are not according to the provisions of the Societies Registration Act 1860 and (further) that the General Body Meeting in which these amendments that the Applicant talks about were approved, have never been approved in any meeting. Thus under these circumstances, the onus of proving this fact falls upon the Applicant and for this (purpose) the Applicant has submitted the Xerox copies of the following documents in the list of documents attached to Appendix-11: a Xerox copy of the Minutes of Special General body Meeting held on 06/01/1995 in Poona vide document 11/1; Xerox copy of the note about the meeting held at Delhi University on 5 April 1995 vide document 11/4. If we look at the Xerox copy of the annexures of document Num. 11/5, it presents the following: a Xerox copy of the Resolution passed at the meeting held on 13/05/1994 regarding the appointment of a five member committee for amending the constitution in the interest of the Association; a circular letter and a Xerox copy of the new constitution; Xerox copy of the Note regarding the meeting held on 06/01/1995 at Poona University and Xerox copy of the Note regarding the meeting held on 25/04/1995 at Delhi University. But all these are Xerox copies and there are no reference numbers on them. Therefore, no decision in the matter of this Change Report can be taken on the basis of these. Not only this, whether or not the procedure mentioned in the Order passed on 08/07/1997 on the earlier Change Report 92/95 asking to follow the procedure set in Section-12 of Societies Registration Act 1860 in this matter, has been undertaken or not? And whether or not following the Act, a circular agenda with proposed amendments and additions to the constitution was sent to all the members of the Association? If such an agenda was sent, then the proof of this? And also the proof of whether or not the amended constitution was approved at the General Body Meeting by 3/5th members? The Applicant has given no clarification regarding these (questions). And no proofs have been submitted regarding these. Examining all the minutes of the meetings as submitted (by the Applicant), it is observed that there is no proof has been submitted regarding the number of members who attended these meetings and no proof has been submitted regarding the amendments/additions to be made in the constitution of the association through circular letters sent to all the members. In this matter this Association has registered about 1000 members. Looking to this fact, the Applicant has not proved the fact that the agenda asking the members to attend the meeting for amendment of the constitution with a copy of the constitution to be amended, and a copy of the approval of the amended constitution by the members was sent to all the members. Not only this, no proof has been submitted for whether or not the amended/ added constitution was approved or not in the presence of 3/5th of members at the Two Special General Body Meetings? On the basis of the proofs submitted in this matter, this fact cannot be derived and further that the Applicant has not taken care to present any proof regarding these. (Hence) under the given circumstances, this Change Report for the amendment of the constitution cannot be accepted.

Apart from this, after examining the affidavits filed by the Applicant and Dr. Chandra Mohan, the veracity of the above facts cannot be proved. Under these circumstances, even if the other objections given by the Opponent are not taken into account, this Change Report is not worthy of acceptance because of the fact that the Applicant has not been in a position to prove that the legal procedure set down in Section-12 of the Societies Act 1860 which was mentioned in the Order on the earlier Change Report Num. 92/95 has been followed. Under these circumstances, this Change Report is not worthy of acceptance.

Further that, there are certain facts mentioned in the arguments and their replies put forth by the Applicant and the Opponent. As these do not concern the legality of the issues involved, their mention is not worthy of discussion here. Besides this, the judgements, cited by the Applicant, according to the provisions of the Bombay Public Trust Act and Societies Registration Act, being not relevant to this case, are not worthy of consideration. Therefore, taking into consideration the above discussion regarding this Change Report and also the written arguments submitted by the Applicant and the Opponent, I pass the following order:



ORDER


This Change Report is rejected. Action should be taken to record this Order on the
PT R and the concerned parties be informed about his Order.




Place: Vadodara (Y.L. Vyas)
Dated: 22/03/2006 Assistant Charity Commissioner
VADODARA

DR. C.P. RAVICHANDRA RESIGNS

In his letter dated 6th December 2006 to The Secretary, IACS, New Delhi, Ravichndra P. Chittampalli, M.A., Ph.D. wrote:

"I wish to state that it has become impossible for me to continue to hold the august position of the President of Indian Association for Canadian Studies...I am forthwith resigning from the post of President, Indian Association for Candian Studies."

DR. J.P. PARIKH AND PROFESSOR UDAY SHELAT FILE CIVIL SUIT IN BARODA COURT

Dr. J.P. Parikh and Professor Uday Shelat, Life Members, IACS and faculty members at the Maharaja Sayajirao Univeristy of Baroda have filed a Civil Suit No. 26/07 in the court of Honourable Shri D.V. Vaidya.
Paintiffs have prayed for the following:
(a) Declare that the Defendants and their agents, office bearers, representatives have no right to issue a notification for or conduct election in any other city than Baroda. Executable decree to this effect may be passed in favour of the Plaintiffs and against the Defendants.

(b) That the defendants, their agents, office bearers, representatives etc. may be perpetually restrained from malpractices in the elections and from conducting elections in any other city that Baroda. The defendants may be instructed to follow the procedure as laid down in the Constitution as approved by the Assistant Charity Commissioner vide his Order No. 51 Dated 22.3.2006 and decree to that effect may be passed in favour of the plaintiffs.

The three Defendants in this suit are: 1. Indian Association for Candian Studies, Department of English, M. S. Univeristy of BarodaAuthorised Trustee Dr.O.P. Juneja; 2. Dr. C.P. Ravichandra, President, IACS, university of Mysore and 3. Dr. P.K. Pabby, Secretary, IACS, RL Anad College, Delhi University, Delhi.

Court summons have been issued to present themselves on 5 February 2007. Scanned Copy of the court summons is attached to this message

OM JUNEJA APPOINTED ON ICCS NOMINATING COMMITTEE

NEWS FROM

CONTACT ICCS-CIEC
International Council for Canadian Studies250 City Centre, Suite 303, Ottawa, Canada K1R 6K7Tel.: (613) 789-7834; Fax: (613) 789-7830; E-mail: gleclair@iccs-ciec.ca
http://www.iccs-ciec.ca

(Cliquez ici pour aller à la version française)

ON THE HOMEFRONT

Call for Applications for two Positions of At-Large Directors

The Nominating Committee of the International Council for Canadian Studies invites applications for the two positions of At-Large Directors of the ICCS to be filled in May 2007. Please note that, under the ICCS Constitution, only the Directors of the current Board (2007) and former Directors who served on the Board during the four previous years are eligible to be elected as At-Large Directors. Candidates for the position of At-Large Director must send to the ICCS Secretariat in Ottawa an application file no later than 16 April 2007. Details are posted on the ICCS Website at http://www.iccs-ciec.ca/pages/3_govern/CALL-DAL-WEB.html. Members of the Nominating Committee are Cornelius Remie, President-Elect of the ICCS & Chair of the Nominating Committee, The Netherlands, c.remie@chello.nl; Zilá Bernd, Universidade Federal Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, zilab@uol.com.br; Esther Mitjans, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain, esther.mitjans@ub.edu; and Om Juneja, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, India, omjuneja@hotmail.com.

Response from Jaydipsinh Dodia, Former President SUTA,RAJKOT

Dear Professor Juneja,
I appreciate your honest and sincere efforts to save IACS. For last four or five years, I have stopped participating in IACS activities, because the way it is being managed, is very much disappointing. People with certain selfish motives are moving heaven and earth to dominate IACS. The money that Government of Canada gives with good intention, is wasted. People, who want to be the members of Executive Council of IACS are ever ready to make all types of adjustments as far as academic excellence is concerned. Please do try desperately to make IACS free from the clutches of certain vested interests, who have been dominating this association since long. I have also written to Honourable Charity Commissioner of Baroda to look into the matter. I cannot understand how people, who are not trustees of IACS, even today, have been managing IACS. I also fail to understand why many senior and founder members of IACS are ignored and humiliated. In your efforts to bring IACS on the right track, I am ever ready to support you in every possible way. Kindly continue your efforts to save IACS in the larger interest of academic fraternity of India.With regards and thanksDr. Jaydipsinh Dodiya,Former President, Saurashtra University Teachers' Association, Rajkot.

OPEN LETTER ISSUED AT MYSORE CONFERENCE 2003

SOME FACTS ABOUT IACS :

OPEN LETTER ISSUED IN 2003 AT MYSORE CONFERENCE

IACS was founded by Dr. Om Juneja and six other professors of The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda on 20 February 1985 in Baroda at the First Indian Seminar on Canadian Studies funded by University Grants Commission.

• Registered as a Public Trust No. F/409/Vadodara under Bombay Public Trust Act 1950 and Society No. Gujarat/693/Vadodara under Societies Registration Act 1860 in 1986 with its Registered office at: Department of English, Faculty of Arts, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara 390 002.
• Was affiliated to INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL FOR CANADIAN STUDIES in May 1987 by me when I was the Secretary and Professor J. Birje-Patil, Head, Department of English, M.S. University, Baroda was the President of IACS.
• Was registered for receiving grants from Canada under Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Act (FERA), 1976 with Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs in 1990 with Registration No. 041960074 with the condition that all the foreign contibutions under this Act will be received through Indian Bank, Fatehgunj Branch, Vadodara Savings Bank Account No. 5036.
• First grant of CND 10,000/= was received in 1987 and last grant of CND 80,000/= was received in 1994 when I was president, IACS.
• Life Membership rose from two dozen in 1986 to 600 in 1994.
• Constitution was illegally amended when the President was on Sabbatical Leave in Canada and all the office equippment including fax machine, computers, telephones and all the records were removed from Baroda to Delhi subsequently.
• Violating FERA rules, a new account was opened in the name of IACS in Delhi. This matter is pending before the Assistant Charity Commissioner Vadodara and also with Government of India for action.
• Inspite of a vote of dissent by Dr. Juneja, the fraudulant "utilisation certificate" for Delhi University workshop expenditure incurred by Dr.Chandra Mohan and Prof. KRG Nair was accepted and the auditors were changed from Baroda to Delhi. This matter of fraud due to double accounting of the grant is pending for Order of the Assistant Charity Commissioner Vadodara.
  
  

FINANCIAL MISAPPROPRIATIONS

1. Dr. Jaydipsinh Dodiya, President, Saurashtra University Teachers' Association and a Life Member IACS, in his application dated 03/02/2005 to the Assistant Charity Commissioner Vadodara has pleaded for an inquiry into the financial misappropriations of the Life Membership Fees collected by the Office Bearers. These fees have not been deposited in the Indian Bank Fatehgunj Vadodara account No. 6376 since 1998. It is estimated that IACS has collected at least Rs. 4,00,000.00 (four lakhs) from about 200 members. This amount has neither been deposited in Indian Bank Vadodara nor has it been reflected in the audited accounts of IACS.

This application is pending for order of the Assistant Charity Commissioner Vadodara.

2. The Charted Accountants who audit the accounts have not been changed since 1994 when they charged a fee of Rs. 10,00o for auditing a grant of approximately CND 80,000 and now they are charging Rs. 60,000 for auditing a grant of about CND 20,000. Except for last year their appointment was not done at the Annual General Body Meeting, whis is always held on the last day of the 4 day conference in the evening when most of the members are in a hurry to return.

3. According to an estimate IACS EC has spent about 2.5 lakhs on fighting a legal case that it has lost. The legal cost of the Appeal is yet to be added to this.

4. It is estimated that 40% of grant is spent on administration including litigation and air travel of the caucus and EC meetings.

5. The same publisher and printer has been publishing the Newsletters with the same editor and IJCS for the last 15 years. No open quotations are invited for these publications.

BRIEF HISTORY

IACS was born in Baroda in 1985 at a UGC sponsored national conference at The Maharaja Sayajirao Univeristy of Baroda. It was registred as a Trust and a Society in Gujarat by Charity Commissioner Vadodara in 1986 and was administred from the Registred Office in Baroda.

During the abscence of the President, Dr. Om P. Juneja, on Sabbatical Leave in Canada, Dr. Chandra Mohan, the then Secretary and others illegally amended the Constitution and took the IACS office to Delhi in 1995.

In spite of Vote of Dissent by the ousted President, a fraudulant "Certificate of Utilisation" was accepted to cover up the fraud of double accounting done by Drs. Chandra Mohan and K.R.G. Nair in 1996. Violating the FERA rules, some people opened a Bank Account in 1998 at State Bank of India branch of South Campus Delhi University.

No grants from Government of Canada are deposited in the registered Bank Account at Baroda. Life Membership fees of about 200 persons amounting to 400,000/= (Four Lakhs) are NOT deposited in the Membership Account of the Bank at Baroda since 1998. Where is this money? No one including the President, Secretary and Treasurer answer this question.

Dr. Chandra Mohan filed a "Change Report" pleading for change in the names of the Trustees as well as Amended Constitution in 1995. It was rejected and "filed" by Assistant Charity Commissioner in 1997.

Dr. O. P. Juneja, the Authorised Trustee, received notices from Charity Commissioner for non payment of dues in 2000. He asked Dr. Jameela Begum, Dr. S.S. Sharma and Dr. D.K. Pabby to present the accounts to Charity Commissioner Vadodara in 2001 and 2002. As no action was taken, he filed an affidavit in 2002.

Dr. Jammeela Begum filed the "Change Report" in December 2002 pleading for change in the names of Trustees and acceptance of the new constitution approved in 1995. Like the earlier "Chanage Report" filed by Dr. Chandra Mohan, this was rejected by Assistant Charity Commissioner Vadodara on 22.3.2006.

Dr. C.P. Ravichandra has filed an appeal against the Order of the Assistanat Charity Commissioner. This is pending before the Joint Charity Commissioener Vadodara for an Order.

DOUBLE ACCOUNTING:DELHI UNIVERSITY WORKSHOP

FINANCIAL MISAPPROPRIATION: DELHI UNI WORKSHOP 1993.

Double Accounting of Workshop on Canadian Studies held at Delhi:

Indian Association for Canadian Studies gave a grant of Rs. 30,000.00 to the Co-ordinator for a workshop on Canadian Studies held in Delhi in March 1993. While the original bills, vouchers, and receipts were sent to Delhi University, IACS was given their photocopies. The Auditors of the Association rejected these photocopies of the original bills submitted and accounted for by another funding agency. As the report of the Auditors was not acceptable to the co-ordinators (Drs. Chandra Mohan and K.R.G. Nair) of the Workshop who by then had become Office-bearers of the Association, the Auditors were changed from Baroda to Delhi and a fraudulent Utilisation Certificate was accepted by the Executive Committee at its meeting held in 1996 despite a vote of dissent by the Past President, IACS. These photocopies bear the signatures of Dr. Chandra Mohan, the then Secretary and then the President of the Association.

Dr. O. P. Juneja has filed an application No. Misc. 30/03 regarding this to Assistant Charity Commissioner Vadodara. It is pending for Order of ACC.

ACCOUNTS AND FINANCIAL MATTERS

Indian Association for Canadian Studies is registered with the Government of India for receiving Foreign Contributions under Registration No. 041960074. Under FERA (now FEMA) rules. It is required to receive all the Foreign Contributions in the SB A/C 5036 opened for this purpose with Indian Bank, Fatehgunj, Baroda. Dr. Jaydipsinh Dodia, a Life member, has reported the violation of this Act to Government of India in his letter dated 25 May 2005 as no Foreign Contributions have been credited to this account since 1999 and also about the illegal account No.15019 in the name of IACS with State Bank of India, South Campus Delhi University branch.

Dr. O. P. Juneja, the Authorised Trustee IACS represented this violation of FERA rules and other financial irregularities, misappropriations and embezzlement to Canadian High Commission, New Delhi, and Government of Canada, Ottawa.

Consequently, Canadian High Commission has stopped funding IACS directly since September 2006.

In the light of the Order dated 22.3.2006 of the Assistant Charity Commissioner Vadodara, a legal notice has been served to Dr. C.P. Ravichandra on 12.10.2006 asking him to deposit all the savings/ surpluses of earlier grants in the registered Savings Bank Account No. 5036 with Indian Bank, Fatehgunj. Similarly, all the Membership fees (annual as well as life membership fees) be deposited in Savings Bank A/C No. 6376 of Indian Bank, Fatehgunj, Vadodara. Failing which matter will be reported to Government of India for action under FERA (FEMA 1999).

LEGAL NOTICE TO DR. C.P. RAVICHANDRA

LEGAL NOTICE TO RAVICHANDRA: OCTOBER 2006

Ravindra M. Joshi Office: E/2, Laxmi Apartment
B.Sc.. LL.B., D.L.P. Nr. Bholabhai Mata Mandir,
ADVOCATE R.V. Desai Road, BARODA PH. 241 3085
(Gujarat High Court ) Resi: 21/B JANAKPURI SOCIETY
MANJALPUR, BARODA -11
PH: 264 3557

O/W No. 13 / 2006-07
Dated: 12 October 2006

Dr. C.P. Ravichandra,
Department of English,
University of Mysore
Mysore - 570006

SUB: LEGAL NOTICE

I, advocate Ravindra M. Joshi, under the instructions and information from Dr. O. P. Juneja, the Authorized Trustee of the Indian Association for Canadian Studies, Vadodara hereby serve you this notice as under:

You are hereby informed to follow in letter and spirit the Order (the operative part of the judgement) quoted below of the Assistant Charity Commissioner Vadodara passed on 22 March 2006 (copy enclosed) in the matter of the change Report Number 275/02 filed by Professor Jameela Begum and subsequently by Dr. Chandra Mohan.

ORDER

This Change Report is rejected. Action should be taken to record this Order on the
PT R and the concerned parties be informed about his Order.

The implications of this Order are the following:

· No activities of IACS including the new constitution, the elections, the office-bearers, and members of the Executive Committee after 1994 are legal.

· The Trustees of IACS are the nine founding trustees including Dr. O. P. Juneja as the Authorised Trustee. Please refer to paragraph 7 of the judgement, which reads,
“Hence the Executive Committee which was recorded in 1986 still continues to be in existence.”

· The Change Report that was submitted by Dr. Chandra Mohan in 1995 and was “filed” by the Charity Commissioner in 1997 has now been rejected completely. Please refer to the following paragraph 9 of the judgement:
“Apart from this, after examining the affidavits filed by the Applicant and Dr. Chandra Mohan, the veracity of the above facts cannot be proved… Under these circumstances, this Change Report is not worthy of acceptance”.

· IACS cannot have any office outside Baroda as the registration of Indian Association for Canadian Studies Vadodara is in Gujarat and therefore for all operational purposes it is a Gujarat body. To have an all India registration it should have had seven trustees from seven different states of India at the time of registration.

· Only the initial trustees from Baroda can operate the academic, administrative, financial and any other activities IACS.

· There already exists a bank account of the initial body and all money in whichever account of the IACS needs to be deposited and transferred there.

2. ACCOUNTS AND FINANCIAL MATTERS:
You may note that Indian Association for Canadian Studies is registered with the Government of India for receiving Foreign Contributions under Registration No. 041960074. Under FERA (now FEMA) rules, it is required to receive all the Foreign Contributions in the SB A/C 5036 opened for this purpose with Indian Bank, Fatehgunj, Baroda. Dr. Jaydipsinh Dodia, a Life member, has reported the violation of this Act to Government of India in his letter dated 25 May 2005 as no Foreign Contributions have been credited to this account since 1999 and also about the illegal account No.15019 in the name of IACS with State Bank of India, South Campus Delhi University branch.

We may inform you that the Association has no other bank account anywhere in India or abroad and it is illegal to have such accounts in the name of IACS, which is registered both as a Trust and as a Society with Charity Commissioner Vadodara and Registrar of Societies Vadodara. You are hereby directed to give complete accounts until date to my client and to transfer all the Foreign Contributions and other moneys to this account within 15 days from the receipt of this letter. Failing which legal action will be taken against all those who are responsible for the violation of FERA (FEMA) rules and for non-c0mplieance of the Order of the Assistant Charity Commissioner, Vadodara.

My clients had also represented about this violation of FERA rules and other financial irregularities, misappropriations and embezzlement to Canadian High Commission, New Delhi, and Government of Canada, Ottawa. Consequently, Canadian High Commission has informed you that no grants can be released to you. The said letter of 12.09.06 however shows you some indirect ways and means to receive grants from the High Commission. In our opinion, the actions taken by you on the said letter are violative of the following rule of FERA for which you can be persecuted and you will be liable for dishonouring the above quoted Order of the Assistant Charity Commissioner Vadodara.

In the light of the Order dated 22.3.2006 of the Assistant Charity Commissioner Vadodara, I hereby direct you to deposit all the savings/ surpluses of earlier grants in the registered Savings Bank Account No. 5036 with Indian Bank, Fatehgunj. Similarly, all the Membership fees (annual as well as life membership fees) be deposited in Savings Bank A/C No. 6376 of Indian Bank, Fatehgunj, Vadodara. If you fail to deposit all such moneys to these accounts within 15 days from the receipt of this letter, legal action following the Bombay Public Trust Act will be taken against you.

3. RECORDS AND ASSETS OF THE ASSOCIATION:
In view of the above Order, I hereby inform you that all the minutes, agendas, and records of the Association including the files of correspondence with members and others in the name of the Association be sent to the Registered Office in Baroda. Further, that all the assessts including fax machines, computers, telephones etc. be also sent to the registered office of the Association at Baroda.

4. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND ELECTIONS:
In a circular letter printed on the letterhead of Indian Association for Canadian Studies dated July 25, 2006 in the names of D. K. Pabby, Secretary, and C. P. Ravichandra, President, it has been announced that the XXIII IACS International Conference will be held on February 23-25, 2006 at University of Jammu. I hereby inform you that you cannot announce and organise the said conference without complying the above quoted Order of the Assistant Charity Commissioner Vadodara. Further that you are required to consult my client before announcing or organising any such conference or event, as he is the authorised trustee of IACS.
Following the set practice the Annual General Body Meeting may also take place during this Conference. You are hereby informed that the said meeting will be illegal and a clear violation of the above quoted order.

Further, you are hereby informed that you have no legal and moral right to announce and conduct elections of the office bearers and the executive committee. Following the above quoted Order of the competent legal authority this right is reserved with Trustees registered in Schedule 1 of PTR under BPTA.

5. PUBLICATIONS OF NEWSLETTERS/ JOURNALS:
Please note that the honourable Assistant Charity Commissioner has rejected the claims of Professor Jameela Begum and Dr. Chandra Mohan as the Trustees of the Association and has informed in this Order that the office of the Association is located in the Department of English, M.S. University, Vadodara. Any operations carried out from any other office in India or abroad are legally invalid. You are hereby informed that the operations carried out by you from Delhi and Mysore are illegal. Hence, the issuance of the Newsletter in the name of Indian Association for Canadian Studies and publication of the Indian Journal of Canadian Studies is a violation of the above Order of the Assistant Charity Commissioner, Vadodara. You are therefore advised not to print, publish, or circulate these publications in future and to withdraw them if you have done so after 22 March 2006.

I hereby call upon you to:

Deposit all the minutes, agendas, and records of the Association including the files of correspondence with members and others in the name of the Association. As also correspondence regarding financial transactions, Agreements signed with government of Canada for receiving grants; FC-3 forms submitted to government of India; books of accounts, statements of accounts and auditor’s report; receipts, vouchers, invoices and other financial documents in the Registered Office at Baroda.

Send all the assessts including fax machines, computers, telephones etc. to the registered office of the Association at Baroda.

Deposit all the money from savings/ surpluses of earlier grants in the registered Savings Bank Account No. 5036 with Indian Bank, Fatehgunj, Vadodara and all the Membership fees (annual as well as life membership fees) be deposited in Savings Bank A/C No. 6376 of Indian Bank, Fatehgunj, Vadodara.

Not to print, publish, or circulate any publications including Newsletter, Indian Journal of Canadian Studies in future and to withdraw them if you have done so after 22 March 2006.
Not to call the Annual General Meeting of IACS.

Not to announce and or conduct any elections of the office bearers and executive Committee of IACS.

Not to use the official logo, letterhead, and name of Indian Association for Canadian Studies for any purpose without the permission of the trustees registered on Schedule 1 of PTR under BPTA.

Stop mentioning such offices as: Functioning Office, Editorial Office etc. because IACS has only one office and it is at Baroda and nowhere else.

Under the instructions and information of the client

(Ravindra M. Joshi)
Advocate

_______________________________
(Dr. Om P. Juneja)
Authorised Trustee, IACS


Vadodara:
Dated: 12 October 2006

Enclosure: one

CC: Vice Chancellor, University of Mysore, Mysore.
Head, Public Affairs, Canadian High Commission, New Delhi.

ILLEGALITY OF ACTIVITIES SINCE 1995

ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES SINCE 1995:

After four years of litigation by both the parties the Learned Assistant Charity Commissioner Vadodara has completely rejected the "Change Report" filed by Dr. Jameela Begum in 2002 and by Dr. Chandra Mohan in 1995. Following are the implications of this Order:

· No activities of IACS including the new constitution, the elections, the office-bearers, and members of the Executive Committee after 1994 are legal.
· The Trustees of IACS are the nine founding trustees including Dr. O. P. Juneja as the Authorised Trustee. Please refer to paragraph 7 of the judgement, which reads,
“Hence the Executive Committee which was recorded in 1986 still continues to be in existence.”
· The Change Report that was submitted by Dr. Chandra Mohan in 1995 and was “filed” by the Charity Commissioner in 1997 has now been rejected completely. Please refer to the following paragraph 9 of the judgement:
“Apart from this, after examining the affidavits filed by the Applicant and Dr. Chandra Mohan, the veracity of the above facts cannot be proved… Under these circumstances, this Change Report is not worthy of acceptance”.
· IACS cannot have any office outside Baroda as the registration of Indian Association for Canadian Studies Vadodara is in Gujarat and therefore for all operational purposes it is a Gujarat body. To have an all India registration it should have had seven trustees from seven different states of India at the time of registration.
· Only the initial trustees from Baroda can operate the academic, administrative, financial and any other activities IACS.
· There already exists a bank account of the initial body and all money in whichever account of the IACS needs to be deposited and transferred there.

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT IT HAS COST THREE LAKHS OF RUPEES TO IACS, WHILE Dr. O.P. JUNEJA HAS NOT BEEN RE-IMBURSED THE COST OF HIS LITIGATION.

EC HAS FILED AN APPEAL WHICH MAY ALSO COST ABOUT ONE LAKH.

PLEASE NOTE THAT NO GENERAL BODY MEETING WAS CALLED TO APPROVE THIS LITIGIOUS EXPENDITURE.

PROPOSED ACTIVITIES

CANADIAN LITERATURE JOURNAL

Very soon we are launching a Journal of Canadian Literature and Culture with the support of a Delhi based publishing house. It will be a refreed journal which will publish research on both English and French Canadian literatures and will also discuss Canadian culture with reference to multicultural, multi-ethnic, multi-lingual and multi-religious ethos and values. Papers comparing Canada and India of high research/ academic value in the spheres of literature and culture are welcome. Full research papers strictly following the latest MLA style and academic writing norms and procedures may be sent to the editors via email at: omjuneja@yahoo.com Editors will inform as soon as the paper has been reviewed. We regret to infrom you that no remunerations/ re-imbursements are possible at this stage.

NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CANADIAN STUDIES

We propose to host a national conference on Canadian Studies soon at the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. The date and theme of the conference will be announced soon.

CHANGES TO BE INCORPORATED IN IACS CONSTITUTION

It is proposed to incorporate the following changes in the Constitution of IACS:

1. All life members and not only those who attend the Annual General Body Meeting will vote to elect the Office-bearers.
2. No body will hold an office for more than two terms.

Your are welcome to suggest any other changes to Authorised Trustee at: omjuneja@gmail.com

You are also welcome to comment, suggest, criticise and update on any issue relating to IACS to us at: omjuneja@gmail.com

BACKGROUND TO CANADIAN LITERATURE

Professor Dennis Duffy and Professor Om P. Juneja are busy writing this book of history of Canadian Literature for a publishing company in Delhi. Your suggessions regarding the pedagogy of the academic material are welcome. We will soon put up the outline of the plan and contents of the book.

HELP TO RESEARCHERS

In order to augment the research on Canadian Studies in India, IACS proposes to prepare an inventory of researchers with their research topics/findings. Researchers/ teachers guiding research are welcome to join this group which will be published separately as a blog soon. In the meanwhile, please post the details of your research on this blog.

Aim of This Blog: Get Your Participation to Revive IACS

I have created this IACS Vadodara blog to invite you to participate in the process of establishing the role of General Body in taking decisions for restoring academic excellence and partipatory democracy in IACS. It is the General Body that comprises all the members that has to take vital decisions and not the Executive Committee as has been happening since 1995.

Secondly, this blog is meant to apprise you of the activities of the legally constituted and duly registered IACS Vadodara. It is a Public Trust registred with Assistant Charity Commissioner Vadodara and a Society registred with Registrar of Societies Vadodara with the name INDIAN ASSOCIATION FOR CANADIAN STUDIES VADODARA. Following the Order passed on 22.3.2006 by the Assistant Charity Commissioner Vadodara, this is the only legal claimant to the name INDIAN ASSOCIATION FOR CANADIAN STUDIES. Any other association with this name is illegal. The address of the registered office of IACS is as follows: Department of English, Faculty of Arts, M. S. University of Baroda, VADODARA 390002.

Thirdly, the blog will also provide links to other centres, associations, and agencies involved in the development of Canadian Studies in India and abroad. It will also provide updates on the seminars, conferences, fellowships and other academic events about Canadian Studies in India and abroad.

I threfore invite you to participate in this process and shall appreciate your comments, suggestions,observations and querries, if any.

PARTICIPATE AND REVIVE IACS.

Dr. Om Juneja Founding Director of Centre for Canadian Studies

Dr. Om P. Juneja, founding director, Centre for Canadian Studies and former Professor and Head, Department of English, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, is a recipient of the prestigious Fellowship of the Indian Institute of Advance Study, Shimla.

He has published three books and four dozen papers in learned journals and has guided eight Ph. D and twelve M. Phil theses/ dissertations in Canadian Studies.

As the founding Secretary of Indian Association for Canadian Studies, he got it affiliated to International Council for Canadian Studies in 1987. Under his Presidency, IACS grew from a membership of 85 to 600 with a four-fold increase in the grant from Government of Canada from $20,000 in 1987 to $80,000 in 1994.

He was elected the Member-at-large (Secretary-Treasurer) of International Council for Canadian Studies in 1992 and was honoured with the prestigious “Certificate of Merit” for his significant contributions to the development of Canadian Studies in India and abroad in 1994 by International Council for Canadian Studies. Indian Association for Canadian Studies honoured him with “Award of Merit” in 1996.

Currently, he is the UGC EMERITUS FELLOW (PROFESSOR) in the Department of English, Faculty of Arts, M. S. University, Baroda working on his research on “Theorisation of the Indian Diaspora in North America in Network Society” and is the Authorised Trustee of Indian Association for Canadian Studies Vadodara.

Welcome to IACS Vadodara

Hi! Om Juneja welcomes you to IACS Vadodara. I want to share with you some important information related to IACS and also invite you to participate in the re-vitalisation of the Association.

This photo was taken by Professor Dennis Duffy, University of Toronto and a Life Member, IACS at a venue for taking up the oath of citizenship of Canada in Toronto in August 2005. I think this photo sets the stage for this experience of sharing information for re-vitalising IACS. You are welcome to exchange information, comments, suggestions and observations for restoring academic excellence and participatory democracy in IACS.