Bylaws

Bylaw I: Nature of the Organization

Section 1. New Jersey Thamizhar, a NJ Nonprofit Corporation, hereinafter referred to as "NJT" or "the Organization", is a member-based, non-profit, cultural, and charitable organization, incorporated under the laws of the State of New Jersey, USA, and focused on promotion and preservation of Tamil culture, language, and heritage.

Section 2. NJT does not contemplate any financial gain or profit for its members.

Section 3. Members of NJT shall acquire no interest in the property or assets of NJT by virtue of their membership therein.

Section 4. NJT does not authorize engaging in any other activity or activities, except in furtherance of the purposes as mentioned or written under the Certificate of Formation/Articles of Incorporation of NJT, and henceforth will be referred to as the Constitution in this bylaws document.

Section 5. NJT shall be non-political. It shall never engage or support in propaganda or participate in any political campaign for and on behalf of any candidate for public office in USA or elsewhere as defined by the Certificate of Formation.

Section 6. NJT shall be secular, and it is common to all.

Section 7. No part of the property or assets of NJT shall be devoted to any purpose other than the purposes mentioned under the Certificate of Formation of NJT.

Section 8. Members and officers of NJT shall not be held personally responsible or liable in any lawsuit against NJT and for any debt incurred by NJT. The extent of liability of members and officers shall be limited to the unpaid membership dues and for no more.

Section 9. For all official events, NJT shall use "Tamil Thai Vazhthu" – "Neeraarum kadaluduththa" composed by Thiru Manonmanium P. Sundaranaar as the invocation song.

Section 10. Types of Membership, Fees and Basic Rights:

10.1.1. Free/Basic Membership: The Free / Basic Membership shall be open to any individual interested in the objectives of New Jersey Thamizhar. Members in this category shall receive organizational communications, event updates, and access to public social-media groups. They may volunteer in NJT activities, but shall not have voting rights or eligibility to hold elected or appointed leadership positions unless they subsequently become paid members in good standing.

10.1.2. Active Member: Student/Senior 60+: Student memberships are available to individuals between the ages of 16 and 25 who are enrolled as full-time students at an accredited educational institution, with proof of enrollment subject to request by the Organization. Senior memberships are available to individuals aged 60 years or older based on self-declaration. Both Student and Senior memberships are individual plans covering one person only. Student and Senior members shall receive discounted rates for Organization events and activities as determined by the Executive Committee from time to time. Student and Senior members shall have the right to participate in the Organization’s affairs, including attendance at General Body Meetings and eligibility to serve on Executive Committees or stand for election as Office Bearers, provided such members are at least 18 years of age. Student and Senior members who are under 18 years of age may attend General Body Meetings but shall not be eligible to vote, serve on Executive Committees, or hold Office Bearer positions until reaching 18 years of age.

10.1.3. Active Member: Individual: Individual memberships are available to any person aged 18 years or older. Individual memberships are plans covering one person only. Individual members shall receive discounted rates for Organization events and activities as determined by the Executive Committee from time to time. Individual members shall have the right to participate in the Organization’s affairs, including the right to attend General Body Meetings, serve on Executive Committees, and stand for election as Office Bearers in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws. They shall be eligible for leadership positions upon completion of two (2) consecutive years of continuous paid membership in good standing.

10.1.4. Family Membership: Family memberships are available to individuals aged 18 years or older and include coverage for the member’s immediate family members only. For purposes of this membership tier, immediate family members shall include the member’s spouse and unmarried dependent children less than 18 years. Family members shall receive discounted rates for Organization events and activities as determined by the Executive Committee from time to time. The primary Family member and any family members aged 18 years or older shall have the right to participate in the Organization’s affairs, including the right to attend General Body Meetings, serve on Executive Committees, and stand for election as Office Bearers in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws. Family members under the age of 18 may attend Organization events and activities but shall not have voting rights or eligibility to serve on Executive Committees or hold Office Bearer positions. They shall be eligible for leadership positions upon completion of two (2) consecutive years of continuous paid membership in good standing.

10.1.5. Patron Membership (Individual): Patron memberships are available to individuals aged 18 years or older and include coverage for the member’s immediate family members only. For purposes of this membership tier, immediate family members shall include the member’s spouse and unmarried dependent children less than the age of 18. Patron members and their immediate family members shall receive free entry to major Organization events as designated by the Executive Committee. Patron members shall receive a Patron badge, VIP seating at Organization events, and public recognition on the Organization’s website and in its newsletters. The primary Patron member and any family members aged 18 years or older shall have the right to participate in the Organization’s affairs, including the right to attend General Body Meetings, serve on Executive Committees, and stand for election as Office Bearers in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws. Family members under the age of 18 may attend Organization events and activities but shall not have voting rights or eligibility to serve on Executive Committees or hold Office Bearer positions. They shall be eligible for leadership positions upon completion of two (2) consecutive years of continuous paid membership in good standing.

10.1.5. Program Fees: Only members are permitted to attend and participate in NJT programs. Non-members who want to perform or attend NJT programs shall pay a fee decided by the office bearers per person per event. Non-members or Community members (Free) who pay such program fees to participate in or attend NJT programs are not eligible to attend NJT meetings, vote, or run for office.

10.2. Member in Good Standing: A member in good standing is defined as an eligible voting member whose membership dues have been paid and is not under suspension or removed from NJT and has completed a minimum of one year.

10.3. Individuals or families who live in New Jersey and the surrounding area are eligible to become members of NJT.

10.4. Membership fees are non-refundable.

10.5. Increase of Membership Fees: The five Office bearers in the Executive Committee (EC) can propose an increase in the membership fees for each category of membership by a simple majority vote along with the rest of the portfolio leads in EC and submit it to the BOD. After a majority vote on the proposal by the Board of Directors, the proposal shall be executed by the Office bearers in EC. Any increase in membership dues shall take effect in the next calendar year.

During January 2026–December 2027, the decision will be handled by the office bearers, and the majority voting can be conducted among the Executive Committee team members including Portfolio leads.

Section 11. No Portfolio leads, Officer, or member serving in the Executive Committee or any subcommittee or advisors of NJT shall receive, directly or indirectly, any salary, compensation or emoluments thereof, due solely to his or her position as Portfolio Leads, Officer, or member of Executive Committee, or advisors as defined by the Constitution. Notwithstanding this provision, a Portfolio Leads, Officer or member of Executive Committee may be compensated for providing business or other professional services for which compensation is customarily paid.

Section 12. Rules and Laws: The latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall be authority on all questions of procedures that are not specifically stated in NJT’s bylaws. NJT is subjected to all applicable local, state and federal laws of USA, which shall govern in the case of any conflict between them and NJT’s bylaws.

Section 13. Governance: NJT is governed by the Board of Directors (6/9 members). During voting, if there is an equal number, then the chairman of the board votes with two points. The Board of Directors and the Executive Committee may appoint temporary subcommittees to execute specific tasks.

During January 2026–December 2027, NJT is governed by office bearer members.

Bylaw II: Administration/Management by Executive Committee (EC)

Section 1. Composition of Executive Committee

1.1. The total number of members on the EC shall not exceed 17. Of these, five shall be Office Bearers with the titles of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Joint Secretary while 8, 10, or 12 shall be portfolio leads/members of the Executive Committee without titles.

• EC portfolio leads/members should have a minimum of eight (8) and a maximum of twelve (12) members (8, 10, or 12 — total must be an even number) in the two (2) year term.
• Minimum three (3) women and three (3) men if the total EC members are eight (8).
• Minimum four (4) women and four (4) men if the total EC members are ten (10).
• Minimum five (5) women and five (5) men if the total EC members are twelve (12).

1.2. Elected Body: All Office Bearers shall be elected by the NJT members, except where vacancies are filled during the term, as outlined in NJT’s bylaws.

For the period of January 2026–December 2027, the office bearers will be elected by the founders of New Jersey Thamizhar (NJT).

1.3. Term: All EC members (Office Bearers & others) are elected/selected for a term of two (2) calendar years.

• Office Bearers shall not serve more than two (2) consecutive terms in that position.
• An Executive Committee member/portfolio lead who is not part of the office bearers may be selected or re-elected as an EC member/portfolio lead for up to three (3) consecutive terms.
• All office bearers can serve a maximum of 2 terms (4 years) on BOD after completing their final office bearer term, regardless of which positions they held.

1.4. The strength of this committee could be enlarged only by a majority vote of members in the General Body.

Section 2. Meeting of the Office Bearers in the Executive Committee

2.1. The Secretary shall be responsible to decide the date, time, and place convenient to office bearers in EC and the agenda for the meetings.

2.2. Notice of Meeting: The Secretary shall give at least one (1) week notice of meeting to all EC office bearers.

2.3. All meetings shall be conducted in accordance with these bylaws and the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.

2.4. Regular Meetings: Meetings of the office bearers in EC should be held at least once every two (2) months. Meetings of all EC members (including office bearers and others) should be held at least once every two (2) months.

2.5. Special Meetings: Special meetings of the office bearers in EC or all EC team members may be called for any purpose at any time at the request of a member of the EC. Written or email notice of such request must be provided to the Secretary at least two (2) weeks prior to the requested date of the meeting, and the Secretary shall arrange for such meeting if the majority of EC members agree to the request based on the type of request — only office bearers, or all EC team members.

2.6. Emergency Meetings: An emergency meeting of the EC (with or without non-office bearers) may be called for emergency purposes with a predetermined agenda at the request of any member of the EC. A resolution can be passed in this meeting with quorum, provided all the EC (with or without non-office bearers) members agreed to the meeting in writing on the predetermined agenda. The resolution passed in these emergency meetings and a summary of the discussions on the motion should also be communicated via email/WhatsApp to all EC members and approved by two-thirds (⅔) of the EC to become effective. However, the EC can have an emergency meeting without a quorum or predetermined agenda, but no resolution can be passed in this meeting. If the emergency meeting is conducted only among office bearers, the two-thirds (2/3) approval can be limited to office bearers and a summary of the discussions on the motion should be communicated to non-office bearers through email/WhatsApp.

2.7. Quorum: The presence of a majority of members of the Executive Committee, including a minimum of 3 Officers, shall be necessary to constitute quorum for EC meetings. This quorum is necessary to transact NJT’s business, except to adjourn as hereinafter provided. A majority vote of those present may transact all business, except as otherwise provided. If the meeting is conducted between office bearers, there is no majority required from non-office bearers, and in this case only 3 officers are the minimum to form a quorum.

2.8. Adjournment: A quorum of EC members may adjourn any EC meeting to meet again on a stated day, provided however, that in the absence of quorum, a majority of the members present at any meeting of the EC may adjourn the meeting, to meet again at a stated time and place. Notice of such adjourned meetings shall be given to all members of EC, as provided in the Special Meetings, Section 2.5 above. If the meeting is conducted between office bearers, there is no majority required from non-office bearers, and in this case only 3 officers form a quorum and can adjourn.

2.9. Participation by Electronic Means in Meetings: Office bearers/portfolio leads/members may participate and vote in meetings of the executive committee by electronic means such as telephone, audio/video conference, and other means where their identity can be verified by others present at the meeting. Such electronic participation requires a valid reason and the member’s unavoidable need in the particular meeting. If the EC meeting is scheduled online, then the above-mentioned reasoning is not required.

Section 3. Responsibility of EC Member to Attend Meetings and Participate

All EC members are expected to attend EC meetings and participate effectively in running NJT. If a member is habitually absent, i.e., absent for three consecutive EC meetings, without a reasonable cause for such absence, the Executive Committee may, by two-thirds (⅔) majority, vote to remove that member from the Executive Committee, and immediately inform the Board of Directors of such action. Once the removal is approved by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the EC, and approved by the Board of Directors, that member will be ineligible to serve as a member of the EC for the remaining term. Within seven (7) days, such a change in EC should be updated on the NJT website and communicated to all the members. However, if the meeting is happening between office bearers, the rest of the EC members are not expected to attend.

Note: During January 2026–December 2027, this will be executed just based on voting and there is no board approval needed.

Section 4.

If any EC member including Office Bearers is required to relinquish his/her membership from the EC, the individual must transfer all documents and assets and share details regarding his/her duties to the President or the newly appointed officer or EC member within two (2) weeks or a time specified by the BOD, whichever is later. It must also be noted that any delays beyond this stipulated time, without reasonable cause, will give rise to the EC/BOD member being charged with all the attendant costs of maintaining the organization, including any legal expenses that could be incurred.

Section 5. Vacant Positions in the Executive Committee

There are a maximum of seventeen (17) positions in the Executive Committee (5 office bearers and 8 to 12 EC member positions). There could be vacant positions in the Executive Committee because of various reasons: insufficient number of nominations for all the positions during the election process, resignations, disqualifications, removals, and others.

If vacancies exist during the course of the term after the elections or NJT failed to fill the positions during floor nominations, the EC and/or BOD shall identify members in good standing and nominate them for approval by EC. Vacant positions of President and Secretary shall be filled by Vice-President and Joint Secretary respectively. Vacant positions of other Office Bearers shall be filled by EC members. If the vacant position being filled is either the President, Secretary, or Treasurer position, BOD approval is required in addition to EC approval. Once the position is filled, NJT’s website should be updated, and the NJT members should be informed via e-Letter.

At a minimum, the five (5) Office Bearer positions shall not remain vacant for more than two (2) weeks. If a vacancy arises in any of the 5 Office Bearer positions, such vacancy shall be filled within two (2) weeks by BOD.

Required Minimum Number of Members in Executive Committee: A minimum of thirteen (13) EC members (at least five (5) of whom shall be Officers) is the required quorum to carry out the business of NJT in the calendar year they are elected. If the total number of members in EC falls below thirteen (13) (at least 5 of whom shall be Officers), the Board of Directors (BOD) shall fill the vacancies as mentioned above.

During January 2026–December 2027, the founders of NJT can fill the vacancies.

Section 6. General Body Meeting (GBM)

General Body: The General Body (GB) is the collective group representing all paid members of NJT for the current year, who are eligible to vote as defined in Section 10 of Bylaw I. The Executive Committee (EC) calls for and organizes general body meetings upon the request of: (a) a majority of EC members, (b) a majority of BOD members, or (c) at least 20% of the eligible voting members of the general body requesting such a meeting in writing.

The EC has to act upon the request within fifteen (15) days of such request. In normal situations, the President will be the presiding officer of such meetings, and in his/her absence, the Chairman of BOD, Vice-President, or the longest-serving member of BOD will preside over such meetings.

As stated above, any general member of NJT may request the EC to convene a General Body Meeting provided the member gets the signatures of at least 20% of the eligible voting members of the general body. In order to get the support of 20% of the eligible voting members, such member may submit a written request for the mailing addresses of all current members along with the purpose of requesting the GBM. The EC shall provide the mailing addresses of current members in print form within 15 days of such request. Email IDs and phone numbers shall not be provided. Such member shall be charged a processing fee equivalent to the annual family membership fee for each request. The member(s) shall use the address list so procured only for soliciting support for calling the GBM, and for no other purpose.

Notice of General Body Meeting: All paid members shall be given at least two weeks’ notice of the meeting. The notice shall contain information about the date, time, location, and purpose of the meeting. Emails and e-Letters can be used to issue such notice in addition to updates on NJT’s website.

Quorum: At any general body meeting of NJT, at least 20% of the total strength of all members of NJT in good standing shall constitute a valid quorum, which includes absentee votes. Members should be active members 30 days prior to the meeting date except for a GB meeting called for annual EC (Office Bearer) elections, which has a specific cutoff date as defined in Bylaw IV.

Proxy Votes in Meetings of NJT: Proxy voting is not allowed in General Body meetings of NJT.

Absentee Votes in Meetings of NJT: NJT members who are eligible to vote but won’t be able to attend the General Body meeting can vote and provide the ballot paper to the Chief Election Officer any day before the General Body meeting. Such voters should use the ballot papers provided by the Chief Election Officer and mail them in a small, sealed envelope accompanied by a separate sheet, duly signed by the member. Also, any member can hand over his/her votes to his/her spouse in a sealed envelope if they cannot make it to the general body meetings of NJT. The secrecy of all absentee voting shall be maintained.

Proxy votes are allowed for meetings of the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors, provided the purposes are predetermined and informed to the members at least 15 days before such meeting. Proxy votes shall be duly signed and delivered in a sealed envelope. Proxy voting can be exercised by email/WhatsApp provided the originating email ID/WhatsApp number is the same as the member’s email ID/WhatsApp phone number in NJT’s membership email database.

Section 7. The EC shall convene two general body meetings during the year. One is to elect new Office Bearers of NJT every term. The EC should announce that the meeting is a General Body Meeting, the specific time slot to conduct the business of the meeting, and the specific purpose (example: Election) through email/WhatsApp/e-Letter and website update. The other GBM is to present the financial status and briefing of current activities of NJT.

Section 8. The outgoing treasurer shall present the previous year’s financial statement of NJT at the first general body meeting of the following year. This GBM shall be combined with the first NJT event of the following year.

Section 9. Member’s Email Address Protection: Past and current members’ email addresses in NJT membership databases shall not be provided to any businesses or individuals and should be maintained confidentially by officers of NJT. After leaving office, the officers are prohibited from providing any confidential member records to the public or businesses or using them for their own personal, business, or other interests.

Section 10. Advertisement Policy: To generate income for NJT, NJT publications including electronic communications (e-Newsletter/e-Magazine, emails, social media, website, etc.), program souvenirs, and membership directories can carry paid advertisements, charges for which are collected from businesses and individuals. The charges for such advertisement shall be decided by the Executive Committee at the beginning of the year before the first event and shall be applied accordingly and consistently for all advertisement requests. Each publication should carry a disclaimer stating that all paid advertisements and the wording in the advertisements shall not indicate that the products/services are promoted or endorsed by NJT in any manner.

Section 11. Partnership and Collaboration Policy: The Executive Committee is free to explore avenues to promote the cultural and charitable goals of NJT by collaborating with other non-profit, tax-exempt charitable organizations or for-profit associations or individuals. However, each such proposal shall be discussed and approved by the majority of the EC, shall be documented and signed, and the decision communicated to BOD with all relevant documentation. These collaborative ventures should conform to the rules and regulations set forth by the IRS for a non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization.

Section 12. Email and Website Communication

NJT’s website shall, at a minimum, contain the following information:

• Certificate of Formation & Articles of Incorporation
• Mission & Vision Statements
• Bylaws
• Board of Directors
• Executive Committee
• Advisors
• Subcommittees
• Contact details (phone number and email ID of Chairman and President)
• An email ID and a phone number to communicate with the Executive Committee
• Membership information — how to become a member, membership fees
• Archives of previous web content (need not be displayed on the website but has to be stored somewhere)
• History of EC, BOD, and Advisors
• General body resolutions

Bylaw III: Duties of the EC and Officers

Section 1. To purchase, rent or lease, own, pay mortgage on, and maintain real estate property and/or other properties of NJT with the approval of a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the BOD.

To sell and dispose of any real estate property and/or other properties of NJT with the approval of a 2/3 majority of BOD and then by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of General Body members.

To solicit funds and donations for activities that will further the goals of NJT.

Section 2. To create an endowment, and receive and hold in trust as otherwise voluntary contributions, gifts, bequests, or levies to be devoted to such purposes to the full extent to which they may be authorized hereby.

Section 3. To make disbursements and perform any other business as deemed necessary and desirable in the interest of NJT.

Section 4. The President shall be the spokesperson for NJT. The President shall preside over the meetings of NJT and the EC and shall perform all the duties of a presiding officer. The President ensures that the EC carries out its responsibilities in accordance with the bylaws of NJT.

Section 5. The Vice-President shall perform all the duties of the President whenever the President is absent. If the President is present, the Vice-President shall assist in the President’s duties.

If, for any reason, the office of President falls vacant mid-term during his/her term, the Vice President shall take over the role and title of President for the remainder of the term.

Section 6. The Secretary of NJT shall convene, call, and send notices for all meetings. The Secretary shall:

• Record the proceedings and maintain minutes of all the meetings of the EC and General Body Meeting as per Robert’s Rules of Order. All minutes of the meeting have to be communicated to all the EC members within three days. Any resolution passed in EC meetings has to be sent to the BOD and Advisors as well as published on the NJT website with member access within fifteen (15) days from the date of the meeting.
• Keep a record of NJT’s official correspondence for the year.
• Regularly check the NJT mailbox/inbox, and keep EC/BOD informed of relevant mail/emails.
• Maintain the current membership database, including email addresses and other contact information of NJT’s members.
• Honor appropriate requests for information from members.
• Renew the business license for NJT and any other statutory renewals with local, state, and federal authorities every year.
• Secure insurance for activities and property (hall/theater) rentals.
• Hold and preserve all office records, registers, books, and papers of the current year.
• Hand over all documentation at the end of the year to the BOD for archival purposes.
• Perform all other duties pertaining to the Secretary as required by the EC.

During January 2026–December 2027, the documentation at the end of the year will be handed over to the President.

Section 7. The Treasurer shall:

• Collect all dues, contributions, donations, and receive all monies belonging to NJT, giving a receipt thereof.
• Deposit the amount in the name of NJT in a bank designated by the EC.
• Pay all bills after due review and upon the instructions of the EC.
• Notify members, businesses, or any individual who is three months in arrears in dues.
• Keep and maintain proper and accurate records of all financial transactions and properties as well as all assets and liabilities, receipts and disbursement vouchers, and all other financial records and accounts required by the EC.
• Be responsible for filing tax returns for NJT as required by IRS guidelines.
• Furnish financial reports at EC meetings after every NJT program/function.
• Perform all other duties and responsibilities as a Treasurer as required by EC and BOD.
• Submit quarterly financial statements to the BOD within one month of the end of the quarter.
• Submit the financial statement of the event via email within four (4) weeks after the completion of any special event.
• Provide all existing and updated membership information, including email addresses and other contact information, to the Secretary for record keeping every month.

To assist the Treasurer, office bearers in EC shall appoint one or two persons who are knowledgeable in using accounting software for bookkeeping.

The Treasurer shall present the final report for the calendar year in which he/she served as Treasurer at or before the General Body meeting of the subsequent year.

The Treasurer holding office during a particular year is responsible for filing and signing the tax returns for that year, although the actual tax returns are filed only in the subsequent year.

The Treasurer may create a special committee that will assist in financial and accounting activities. Such a committee can have a maximum of three (3) members, and all members of such a committee shall be members/portfolio leads of the current year’s EC.

When the BOD requests, the Treasurer is expected to attend the Board of Directors meeting and submit quarterly financial and membership reports to the BOD via email or at a BOD meeting. Such reports shall include budgets, actual expenses, program expenses, tax filing, and charity-related income, expenses, and disbursements.

Section 8. The Joint Secretary is in charge of NJT communication activities. These include the newsletter, annual membership directory, maintaining websites, email distribution, and maintaining email databases of the members of NJT. He/she is, upon request of the BOD, EC, and other subcommittees, responsible for communicating NJT activities to the general body and NJT subcommittees, and vice versa.

Apart from the Joint Secretary, the Chairman of the Board of Directors, President, and Secretary should have full access to all the communication facilities and must be able to communicate with the General Body at any time.

The mailing system should be designed in such a way that email messages or requests reach all the office bearers, EC, BOD, Advisors, or respective sub-groups automatically, if the message is meant for them. The content on the website shall reflect only factual information pertaining to the values and objectives of NJT. All NJT public member communications have to be moderated and validated by the JS. On approval of the same, content will be communicated via email and web postings. Similarly, all feedback, issues, and clarifications from the public will be routed to the JS, who will internally route it to the appropriate EC, BOD, or subcommittee with a copy to the President, the Vice President, and the Secretary. The Joint Secretary is responsible for archiving the contents of the website and submitting it as part of the ‘transition process’ at the end of the term.

No member of the EC, the BOD, or a member who gets access to the NJT communication medium shall use the NJT email list, address list, or website for: (a) personal glory, (b) airing grievances and internal conflicts, (c) accusations, badmouthing, profanity, insults, derogatory/demeaning remarks, etc., (d) unproven allegations, or (e) any other purposes that are detrimental to NJT’s image and principles.

If the JS receives conflicting instructions from the EC and the BOD, then the request from the BOD prevails.

Section 9. The other selected members of the EC shall assist the officers, as mentioned in Bylaw III, Sections 4 through 8, in the performance of their duties and also serving in the NJT subcommittees.

Section 10. Special Committees: The Executive Committee has the power to establish task-based committees to accomplish specific tasks or to handle specific events.

The term of all such task-based committees established by the Executive Committee shall cease when the task is completed, or the term expires, or at the end of the term in which it was formed, whichever is earlier.

Bylaw IV: Election and Voting Procedures

Section 1. The Board of Directors shall be responsible for conducting elections for all Executive Committee positions. For January 2026–December 2027, the maiden EC team will be selected by the Founder Trustees of NJT.

A minimum of four (4) positions for which elections are held are:

• President and Vice-President — as a team
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Joint Secretary

The term of the Executive Committee is two (2) calendar years; it begins on January 1st of the calendar year and ends on December 31st two (2) years later.

Section 2. Election Committee

• On or before the first week of August of every term, the BOD shall appoint a 3-member Election Committee to conduct NJT’s elections. Note: during August 2027 only, the Election Committee will be formed by the office bearers.
• These three (3) Election Officers (EO) must have been members of NJT for at least two (2) consecutive years. They must not have served in the current year’s EC or BOD. They must not run for any office in the election being conducted, and they cannot be considered for nomination to any vacant position during the year for which elections are being conducted until the Election Committee is dissolved.
• Members shall be appointed by the office bearers in the first election during August 2027. Subsequently, the Board of Directors can only appoint the election officers. These three (3) members shall elect one among them to serve as the Chief Election Officer.
• Within one (1) week of appointment, the Chief Election Officer should announce the formation of the Committee to all the NJT members by email and web announcement.
• First Year Exception: During the first year, 2025, an Election Committee is not required, as the founding Trustees will elect the office bearers.

The Election Committee shall have the authority to make any election-related announcement to the general body of members by email, website notification, and announcements during GBMs, if any are held.

The Joint Secretary is obligated to carry out any requests from the Election Committee in a timely manner (within five (5) days of receiving such requests from the Election Committee, or sooner).

Section 3. Call for Nominations: The EO shall call for nominations for all the positions in EC at least 30 days prior to the date of elections from all active members of good standing. Members in good standing, as per Bylaw I Section 10.2, are eligible to contest in elections.

Additional Qualifications to Contest in Elections: Any member who has been a paid member of NJT for two (2) consecutive years as of August 31st of the election year and who, in the past 5 years, has not been removed from NJT or from any position in the EC or BOD is eligible to contest in elections. Members who volunteered for at least four (4) events of NJT in the past two years have an added advantage.

Members who have been removed from office or suspended from membership shall not be eligible for a period of two (2) terms from the date of such removal or suspension to contest for positions in EC or BOD.

Qualification to Serve in EC & as Office Bearer

EC Member:

• Only members in good standing for at least six (6) months are eligible to serve as members in the EC.
• Student members may be given priority for one (1) EC member position.

Office Bearer:

• Only members in good standing for at least two (2) consecutive years are eligible to serve as office bearers. Members who volunteered for at least four (4) events of NJT in the past two years have an added advantage. The member should be at least thirty (30) years old to contest in elections for Office Bearer.

During the first term, January 2026–December 2027, the EC team is selected by the Founding Trustees.

The member contesting for President should identify another eligible member for Vice-President and form a two (2) member team (including him/her) to contest in the election. All NJT members will be casting four (4) votes on each term’s election:

• One (1) for President and Vice-President (together as a team)
• One (1) for Secretary
• One (1) for Treasurer
• One (1) for Joint Secretary

If there are no opposition teams, then the only contesting team of President and Vice-President will be selected without election. But individual members shall contest for Secretary, Treasurer, and Joint Secretary without forming a team.

The post of the Treasurer shall not be filled from a member of the same family (family for this purpose would include husband, wife, children, and parents) for two (2) consecutive terms.

The positions of President and Treasurer shall not be filled by members of the same family (family for this purpose would include husband, wife, children, and parents).

Members of the same family shall not hold the signature authority on finances of NJT in the same term or for two consecutive terms. In case the Treasurer becomes the NJT President in the following term, the Vice-President of NJT will assume the signing authority, in place of the President of NJT who was Treasurer the previous term.

The Election Committee will review the nominations to make sure they satisfy the eligibility requirements. If a nomination received from a member does not meet the requirements, the committee should notify such member about his/her status confidentially. If sufficient nominations for all positions are not received from members of NJT within the set date of receiving such nominations, the nomination date for such positions will be automatically extended until two days before Election Day. The Election Committee shall solicit floor nominations on the day of elections, only in the event that no prior nominations are received for any of the open positions.

Nomination Process: A member can only make one nomination, including self-nomination. A candidate can be nominated for only one post.

The Election Committee shall organize the ballot papers with all the valid nominations duly received and entered for all the positions. At the general body meeting, the Chief Election Officer shall first announce the members elected unopposed to the position(s) on the EC, and conduct balloting only for the remaining positions (EC) where there is more than one candidate and contest is warranted; the Election Committee will issue ballots to all active members who are eligible to vote and conduct the elections.

The operating budget of NJT shall be used to pay for all expenses related to the conduct of elections. The Chief Election Officer and the Election Committee shall be responsible for conducting the elections except for 2026.

NJT members and all new members of EC, BOD, and sub-committees must be informed of the availability of NJT’s Certificate of Formation and bylaws on the NJT website.

Section 4. Equal Accessibility: All candidates running for various positions on the EC shall have equal access to the information needed for campaigning. All candidates for contested positions shall be eligible to receive a printed list of eligible voters (names and mailing addresses on record) for the purposes of campaigning. This facility is made available only after the nomination deadline. Candidates shall not use these facilities and information other than for NJT election campaigning.

The Election Committee should develop campaign guidelines that are approved by the BOD and give them to candidates along with the eligible voters list.

Section 5. The current EC shall extend all help and assistance to the Chief Election Officer and Election Committee, so they will be able to conduct the election in an open and fair manner.

Section 6. Members Eligible to Vote: All paid members of NJT as of August 31st of the current year and whose age is 18 and above are eligible to vote.

Every eligible member of NJT will have the right to cast one vote for each electable position in the election. In the case of family membership in NJT, both adult members of the family will have one vote each, so the family membership will have two votes. No other member of the family will be eligible to vote, unless that member is 18 years of age and has an independent active membership in NJT.

Voting Procedure:

• Members will only be allowed to vote with a government-issued photo ID.
• The member’s and spouse’s names should be listed in the membership database.
• Any name changes can be accepted as an exception as decided by the Election Committee.

Section 7. Elections shall be held once every 2 years between October 1 and November 15.

The election schedule is:

• August 31st — cut-off date for members to be considered active members eligible to vote.
• September, 1st week — Election Committee formed by appointment of officers.
• September, 2nd week — announcement of the Election Committee and Chief Election Officer to members by email and website announcement.
• September, 3rd week — the Executive Committee should deliver, in print form, the voters list (list of all members eligible to vote) to the Election Committee.
• September, 4th week (or by end of September) — the Election Committee announces election dates (nomination date, nomination withdrawal, candidate announcement, and election polling date).

The Election Committee should consider the required EC member and Office Bearer composition as mentioned in the bylaws.

For Office Bearers: nominations for Joint Secretary should be collected only from women contestants, as this position is reserved for women.

Within 24 hours of Election Day, the Election Committee announces election results to general members by email and website notification.

5 days after Election Day, the Election Committee submits a "Closure Package" to the BOD.

The Election Committee shall send reminders calling for nominations between the start date of nominations and the last day of nominations.

Only the nominated candidate can withdraw his/her nomination, with an NJT-registered email message to the Election Committee indicating this fact, copied to the member who nominated him/her in the first place.

Section 8. Bylaws: Once elected, all the officers, portfolio leads, and EC members of NJT shall be informed about the bylaws of NJT by the Chairman of BOD. They shall also undergo a mandatory bylaw orientation program before assuming office. The format and time of the bylaw orientation will be decided by the BOD.

Elected members should also be reminded to renew their membership within 30 days following the election as stated in the bylaws.

Even during the first year, office bearers and all executive team members should have membership and renew it throughout the term.

Section 9. Closure Package from Election Committee to BOD upon Conclusion of Elections: Within ten (10) days of the date of election, the Election Committee shall deliver to the BOD all documentation relating to the election, including nominations, ballots, the list of members who were eligible to vote, a list of all members who attended the GBM and voted, quorum, declaration of election results, and a list of positions that remained vacant after the elections. Any documentation given to candidates shall be collected back from them and handed over to the BOD as part of the Closure Package.

The closure package should also include the name, position, email ID, and phone number of all the nominees and elected candidates.

In the case of any dispute involving the election processes described above, the Election Committee should use election procedures described in Robert’s Rules of Order as the final reference authority.

Section 10. Term of Election Committee: The term of the Election Committee shall start from the date it is formed and shall end upon submission of the Closure Package as specified in Section 9 above.

Bylaw V: Board of Directors (BOD)

Composition of BOD

Minimum one (1) woman should be nominated to the BOD among the three (3) nominated BOD members in the two (2) year term.

Duties and Responsibilities of the BOD

Section 1. The Board of Directors (BOD) is legally responsible for the activities of NJT, as defined in the Certificate of Formation, and hence the BOD is entrusted with the responsibility to oversee proper execution of NJT’s Constitution, bylaws, and discharge of duties by the Executive Committee as outlined in the bylaws.

Section 2. Transition Issues: The BOD shall oversee the proper and prompt transfer of documents and other matters related to assets and liabilities of NJT to the newly elected EC and newly elected BOD Chairman. The existing BOD will oversee the yearly transitions between ECs and the BOD Chairman as outlined in Bylaw VIII, Section 1. The existing BOD will also oversee transitions other than year-end transitions as outlined in Bylaw II, Section 4, if any office bearers, the BOD Chairman, or more than 7 EC members are replaced during a particular year.

Section 3. The BOD shall serve as a guiding body to the EC in the conduct of any event over $5,000 as deemed necessary and desirable in the interest of NJT. All transactions over $5,000 require the approval of the BOD before execution. All transactions or disbursements related to charitable activities, irrespective of amount, require the approval of the BOD before execution. The BOD shall convey its approval or decision within 1 week of the EC’s request.

During the January 2026–December 2027 period, there are no BOD members available.

Section 4. Qualification to Serve on the BOD

• Only members in good standing who have been members of NJT for at least 4 consecutive years as of August 31st of the election year are eligible to serve as Directors on the Board of Directors. For the purposes of valid membership, the official record of membership as of August 31st of the election year shall be considered.
• Nominated BOD members should have served NJT as an EC member or Office Bearer for at least 1 term, or should have served in other Tamil organizations.
• The member should be at least 30 years old to become a BOD member.

The above qualifications are exempted until 2029, as NJT is forming the Board of Directors during these years.

Section 5. Selection and Nomination: The eligibility criteria, nominations, and other procedures for the selection of NJT members to serve on the BOD are described in Bylaw IV.

The BOD contains 6/9 Directors in total, of which 6 are selected from the last two terms’ Office Bearers (3 Directors from each term) and 3 shall be nominated by Advisors/BOD in the current term. If the total is 6, no additional nominations are required from Advisors/BOD.

The 3 members from the last term shall be President, Secretary, and Treasurer. If there is any situation where the Secretary or Treasurer cannot become a BOD member, that particular term’s President will decide on replacing the Secretary/Treasurer with that term’s Vice President/Joint Secretary.

The 6/9 BOD members will elect their Chairman every term through a simple majority vote before December 31.

Each of the 6/9 BOD members will have the right to cast one vote in all BOD decisions, including the election of the Chairman. A person elected as Chair shall hold that position for a maximum period of 1 term (4 years).

Section 6. Term of Directors

• All BOD members from the previous term’s Office Bearers will hold office for a period of 4 years.
• If a Vice President/Joint Secretary is elected as President/Secretary/Treasurer in the next term, then he/she shall serve in the BOD position for only 2 years.
• BOD members nominated by Advisors/the current BOD will hold office only for a period of 2 years. They cannot serve 2 consecutive terms.

If any Director resigns or is removed mid-term during the year, the BOD shall follow the same process to fill that vacant position as specified in Section 4.

Section 7. Responsibility of BOD Member to Attend Meetings and Participate: All BOD members are expected to attend BOD meetings and participate effectively in running NJT. If a member is habitually absent, i.e., absent for three consecutive BOD meetings, without a reasonable cause for such absence, the BOD may, by 2/3 majority, vote to remove that member from the BOD. Once the removal is approved by a 2/3 majority vote of the BOD, that member will be ineligible to serve as a member of the BOD for the remainder of his/her term. Within 7 days, such removal should be communicated to all the NJT members and updated on the NJT website.

Section 8. Meetings: The BOD should hold at least one meeting every 4 months during the year. BOD members may participate and vote in meetings of the board by electronic means. Such electronic participation requires a valid reason and the member’s unavoidable need in the particular meeting. Additional BOD meetings can also be held at the request of a BOD member. The Chairman can call for BOD meetings, giving at least 1 week’s notice of the meeting to all board members along with an agenda, and can cast his/her own vote. In case any BOD member’s absence is known before a meeting where voting is needed on an important decision and the number of attendees is even, any 1 Advisor may be invited to vote to avoid a tie-breaking situation, or the Chairman’s vote can be considered as 2 votes based on the board’s decision.

All joint meetings of EC and BOD shall be chaired by the Chairman of the Board of Directors or the President. A minimum of 9 EC members and 3/6 BOD members shall be required quorum for such meetings. If necessary, the BOD can request the EC to convene General Body meetings to provide a forum for members to express their opinions, feedback, and complaints that require further action.

If required, additional meetings may be held. The EC should organize such general body meetings, if requested by the BOD.

The BOD shall consult with Advisors in case of critical situations or any conflict of interest in the BOD, EC, or NJT itself.

Section 9. Auditing: The BOD of NJT shall have the right to appoint an auditing committee consisting of 1 or more members, to audit accounts and financial statements on an annual basis and present such committee’s findings to the general body.

Section 10. Special Committees: The Board of Directors has the power to establish task-based committees to accomplish specific tasks. The mandate, term, composition, and reporting shall be decided by the BOD. The term of all such task-based committees established by the Board of Directors shall cease when the task is completed or when the term for which it was formed expires, whichever is applicable.

The individuals or committee that reviews and recommends any long-term project that may have a long-term financial risk for NJT shall be independent of those on the BOD who are authorized to approve such project proposals.

Section 11. Resolutions Passed by BOD: Any resolution passed by the BOD to uphold and affirm the Constitution and bylaws of NJT shall be effective immediately and shall be binding on the Executive Committee and other bodies of NJT, and its members. All resolutions that relate to interpretation of the Constitution and bylaws of NJT shall be presented and ratified by the General Body in a GBM and incorporated into the bylaws as amendments at an appropriate time.

Bylaw VI: Advisors

Section 1. Advisors shall consist of experienced members who have demonstrated long-term commitment to NJT’s mission and goals. The number and selection of Advisors shall be determined by the BOD. During the first term, January 2026–December 2027, the founding Trustees will determine the advisors.

Selection Process

• Advisors should be members in good standing who have served NJT in leadership capacities (EC or BOD) for significant periods.
• Advisors may be nominated by the BOD based on their contributions to NJT and the Tamil community. During the first term, January 2026–December 2027, the founding Trustees can nominate advisors.
• The term of Advisors shall be determined by the BOD but should not exceed 4 years.
• The founding trustees will be part of the honorary advisors, apart from any role they secure through elections.

Section 2. Duties and Responsibilities of Advisors

Advisors shall not get involved in the daily activities or meetings of NJT.

Advisors shall request the BOD to conduct a board meeting if needed.

An Advisors meeting should be conducted at least once every 6 months and all the advisors are required to attend the meeting.

If a member is habitually absent, i.e., absent for three consecutive Advisors meetings, without a reasonable cause for such absence, the Advisors may, by 2/3 majority, vote to remove that member from the Advisors. Once the removal is approved by a 2/3 majority vote of the Advisors, that member will be ineligible to serve as a member of the Advisors for the remainder of his/her term. Within 7 days, such removal should be communicated to all the NJT members and updated on the NJT website. Any vacant positions created by such removal can be filled by the Advisors themselves in an Advisors meeting conducted for this purpose.

Bylaw VII: Banking Procedures

Section 1. Operations Account: The money collected from membership fees, advertisements, food revenue, and miscellaneous income shall be deposited in the Operations Account. The money from this account will be used for organizing NJT programs, functions, meetings, seminars, lectures, and other incidental expenses.

Section 2. Savings Account: Money from lifetime membership and year-end surplus money from operations, or specific donations to the NJT endowment, shall be deposited into the Savings Account. This Savings Account shall be invested in a long-term fund. The money in the savings account shall be used to purchase real-estate assets and related infrastructure that will facilitate execution of the objectives stated under the Certificate of Formation of NJT. Use of money, as stated in this clause, is subject to approval of the Board of Directors. During the term 2026–2027, office bearers President and Treasurer will hold this approval responsibility.

Section 3. Any transactions in the Savings Account require the approval of the BOD before execution. All charity-related disbursements, irrespective of the amount, require the approval of the BOD before execution. Once approved by the BOD, the EC has the responsibility to continue the charity work with periodic updates/progress provided to the BOD. During the first term, January 2026–December 2027, office bearers President and Treasurer will hold this approval responsibility.

Section 4. Funds Available to the New Executive Committee: New membership renewals for the next year shall be available in full to the upcoming year’s committee on January 1st. During the transition period, if the Checking Account amount is less than $3,000, the balance will be supplemented from the Savings account to bring it to $3,000. Such amount shall be increased by 5% annually, with the base year being 2025. Any amount needed above $5,000 shall be collected as donations and can be used for expenses. However, this is not applicable for the first term, January 2026–December 2027.

Section 5. The monthly bank statements from the bank should be sent directly to the official address of NJT. They shall be provided for review by the Treasurer in EC every month.

Section 6. The Treasurer, and where the Treasurer is not available and an emergency exists, the President, shall be the only authorized person to sign checks individually up to $1,000. Any check exceeding $1,000 shall require the approval of both the Treasurer and the President. When the Treasurer or President is not available to approve, either one can give a written authorization to sign for himself/herself. Such an authorization needs to be approved by the BOD.

If payments are made electronically, such payments shall be authorized in writing by payment vouchers signed by both the Treasurer and the President, if the amount exceeds $500.

The President and Treasurer shall be joint signatory authorities for all Certificates of Deposit.

Section 7. A list of NJT’s assets, liabilities, and financial statements should be published in the annual membership directory.

Section 8. NJT shall not borrow or incur debt under any circumstance, unless approved by a two-thirds majority of the BOD and approved by a two-thirds majority of members present at a General Body meeting.

Presence of 40% of eligible voting members will be considered as quorum for the General Body meeting called for debt approval. This General Body meeting should be called only after April 15th. When a General Body Meeting is called for this purpose, a motion consisting of the proposal to borrow or incur debt should be brought before the GB for discussion. Members from GB, EC, BOD, and Advisors should be given floor time to express their views and discuss the proposed motion before GB members are asked to vote on the motion by ballot.

Bylaw VIII: Transition and Other Important Items

Section 1. All the yearly transitions to the new BOD Chairman, EC, and subcommittees should be completed within 15 days of expiration of the outgoing EC’s term. This time can be extended upon approval of the new EC and BOD. It must also be noted that any delays beyond this stipulated time, without reasonable cause, will give rise to the EC/BOD member(s) being charged with all the attendant costs of maintaining the organization, including any legal expenses that could be incurred. The BOD shall oversee the transition procedure from the outgoing NJT committee to the new NJT committee. This will include, but is not limited to, the following transfers: media communications, all bank-related details, tax filing documents, website renewal and ownership information, email and email group management authority, member address list and confidential email list database, liability insurance every year, New Jersey incorporation renewal, and 501(c)(3) and New Jersey state nonprofit renewal.

Any property (asset) purchase needs to be documented. The BOD must keep the property checklist. The location of such assets must be documented. These assets include land as well as other items such as microphones, entertainment equipment to conduct cultural programs, furniture, etc.

Section 2. The email and address lists are proprietary property of NJT. No individual EC member owns any personal rights/ownership to these items. The NJT members listing (mailing address, email address, and phone number) shall be used for distribution of NJT-related information and activities only.

Section 3. All annual (calendar year) contracts of NJT with any institution or individuals shall be in writing and signed by two of the following three officers: President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Contracts whose duration is multi-year or that span multiple calendar years are subject to approval by the Board of Directors and must be signed by the Chairman of the Board of Directors and the President.

Section 4. EC and BOD members shall not be held personally liable for any actions and decisions taken on behalf of NJT.

Section 5. All protected information of past and current members, including the members listing (mailing address, email address, and phone number), equipment, individual software, web pages developed during the year, and photographs taken during the programs (performed by professional artists), etc., are NJT’s property. No one should sell, trade, exchange, or utilize them in any other manner for personal or third-party gain. Members shall not use the New Jersey Thamizhar name, logo, endorsement, or banner for any personal fundraising activities, including but not limited to religious-based, political-based, or other fundraising endeavors conducted for their own benefit or for third parties.

Section 6. No part of the net earnings of NJT shall be distributed to its members, officers, or other private persons, except that the organization shall be authorized and empowered to pay actual out-of-pocket expenses incurred by any member in furtherance of the objectives set forth herein.

Section 7. Office holders of NJT shall avoid conflicts of interest in carrying out their responsibilities.

Section 8. NJT shall celebrate at least three to four festivals/events annually, which may include Pongal, Tamil New Year (Chithirai), Youth Programs, Cultural Programs, Sports Day, family excursions, or any outdoor activities in a calendar year. Additional festivals may be celebrated if the majority of the Executive Committee members are in agreement.

Section 9. In addition, the EC may conduct additional special events to benefit charity, education, and special projects. These special event requests can also be initiated by any BOD, EC, Advisors, or NJT members. Such requests for special events must be approved by the majority of the EC members. The EC must present a proposal including a ballpark ROI (return on investment) analysis to the BOD. The BOD can take up to 1 week from the time the proposal is received to make its decision. The money generated from these events can be utilized for the purpose for which the special events are organized.

Section 10. In order to meet expenses incurred during business meetings, the EC is allowed to spend a maximum of $600 per year, the BOD is allowed $300 per year, and Advisors are allowed $200 per year, if there are no sponsorships available to cover the cost.

Section 11. BOD, EC, and sub-committees may use electronic media (telephone, email, internet/web, and other) to hold meetings, voting, and general communication. Such participation by electronic means shall be recorded and minutes maintained and archived. Such electronic participation requires a valid reason and the member’s unavoidable need in the particular meeting.

Bylaw IX: Conflict-Resolution & Grievance-Handling Procedures

Section 1. Process to Handle Member Grievances

A member who has a complaint is called "Complainant" or "Aggrieved Party". A member or officeholder (member of EC, subcommittees, or BOD) against whom another member has a complaint is called the "Complainee". The responsible authority charged with resolving the complaint — either the Board of Directors or Chairman of BOD, Executive Committee, or President — is called "Resolving Authority".

The Resolving Authority shall acknowledge the complaint made within 7 days of receiving such a complaint.

The Resolving Authority may set up a committee of one or more members to help in investigating, advising, and/or resolving a complaint. Such a committee shall be called an "Inquiry Committee".

Any issue that impacts NJT’s Certificate of Formation, Bylaws, provisions of local, state, and federal laws pertaining to NJT, NJT’s finances or financial status, and other NJT issues that span multiple years fall under the purview of the Board of Directors (Resolving Authority). Such issues shall be addressed by the Complainant to the Chairman of BOD and may or may not be copied to all Directors. Complaints against the Chairman shall be addressed to all Directors. During the first term, January 2026–December 2027, office bearers with the President as lead will hold this responsibility.

Any issue that is operational in nature shall be addressed to the Executive Committee (Resolving Authority) for resolution. Complaints against EC, subcommittees, special committees formed by EC, and members of all these committees also fall under this category. All complaints shall be addressed to the President of the EC and may or may not be copied to all EC members. Complaints against the President shall be addressed to the Vice President and all members of EC.

Where the Resolving Authority is a committee consisting of more than one person, a simple majority is required to carry the resolution.

Complaints shall be made in writing, signed, and transmitted either by email or US mail. Complaints shall be made before the expiry of 3 months from the date of occurrence of the subject matter of the complaint. The Resolving Authority shall acknowledge the complaint made within 3 days of receiving such complaint. All complaints shall be resolved within 45 days of receiving such complaint. The Resolving Authority’s decision is binding on all parties to the complaint. Resolution of complaints shall be communicated to the Complainant in writing and transmitted either by email or US mail. The Resolving Authority shall hand over all documentation pertaining to complaints and resolutions thereof to the Secretary, who shall be responsible for keeping a log of all complaints with all details of the complaint (complainant, date of complaint, description of complaint, resolution process adopted, resolution, and copies of emails or any documents transmitted).

If the Complainant or Complainee is not satisfied with the resolution proposed by the Resolving Authority, they shall have recourse by referring the complaint to the General Body in a General Body Meeting called for the purpose according to the process outlined in the bylaws within 3 months of such resolution.

Once resolved at a meeting of the General Body, the complaint is closed and shall not be re-presented.

The Resolving Authority shall have the right to dismiss any frivolous complaints, or complaints that have no nexus with NJT. The Resolving Authority will address the concerns with the complainant, and if deemed lacking merit, factual support, or too trivial and personal, the complaint will be triaged and the complainant informed accordingly.

Section 2. Recall or Removal: Any member of the elected bodies of NJT EC and BOD may be removed or impeached, on the grounds of inability to perform the duties of the position, corruption, favoritism, or gross misconduct, at a meeting of the members of NJT (General Body Meeting) called for that purpose. The process set in motion for recall or removal of Officers, Portfolio leads, or EC members of NJT by the general body involves the following steps:

• Recall of Officers, Portfolio Leads, or EC Members: Any general member may initiate removal or impeachment proceedings in a meeting of the general body called specifically for this purpose by presenting such a written request to the NJT President, or Chairman of the Board of Directors, with the written consent and support (with signatures) of at least 25% of the general body.
• Appointment of Independent Committee: To bring charges against the Officers or EC members of NJT, an independent investigative body shall be appointed by the BOD. To bring charges against the BOD of NJT, an independent investigative body shall be appointed by the Advisors. This independent investigative committee shall present its report to its appointed authority. During the first term, the EC with the President and Vice President as leads will hold this responsibility.
• Analysis of the Report: The EC and/or BOD or Advisors will study the investigative report and reject it or recommend further action by the general body.
• GBM Meeting: The NJT President or Chairman of the BOD shall send notice of such a meeting with date, time, location, and agenda at least 15 days prior to the date of the meeting. All details relating to the investigative report and EC/BOD/Advisors resolutions/decisions to remove the member from EC or BOD shall be presented to the general body. The member sought to be removed shall be given every opportunity to explain his/her position in front of the General Body, before a vote is taken to remove or impeach. A super-majority of two-thirds (2/3) of the members so assembled for this purpose is required to remove or impeach a member from the office he/she holds. The same procedure is applicable to suspend a member from NJT membership.
• Disbarment from NJT: A member once removed or suspended by the general body will forfeit his/her membership in NJT for a finite number of years as determined by the GB.

Section 3. Suspension of Membership: Documented activities against the purposes of NJT as defined in NJT’s Certificate of Formation shall constitute grounds for suspension of membership.

Authority: EC and/or BOD and/or Advisors may investigate and initiate action related to suspension of membership. The EC has to get the approval of the BOD before initiating such action. If the member being investigated is the President or any office bearer or any member of the EC of NJT, or any BOD member, the BOD shall be the body that investigates and initiates such action.

Allegations shall be notified in writing to the member by the appropriate authority (EC or BOD). Such authority shall appoint an investigative committee to investigate the issue and submit its findings to the authority, which will review whether there exists reasonable cause for suspension. If it is established that there are reasonable grounds for suspension, such authority shall recommend suspension to the general body. The member who is recommended for suspension shall be entitled to a hearing by the General Body in a meeting called for this purpose. To be eligible for such a hearing, the alleged member should request the appropriate authority in writing, within thirty days of receipt of the above notification, to call the general body meeting. Failure of the alleged member to respond to the original notification by the appropriate authority within thirty days shall result in automatic suspension of the alleged member from NJT.

Section 4. Conflict-Resolution Procedure for Issues Within the Executive Committee

Generally, when there is a difference of opinion among the members of the executive committee, the majority opinion shall be binding. However, if a member perceives himself/herself to have been constantly harassed or deprived of his/her ability to serve the organization, the following procedure is to be adopted:

• When executive committee member(s) cannot resolve the differences within the committee, any member involved should make a written request to the BOD to resolve the conflict.
• The BOD shall inquire with the EC members related to that issue and provide a resolution after discussing it at the BOD meeting.

Bylaw X: Amendments

Section 1. Amendments to the bylaws and Certificate of Formation can be proposed by the BOD, EC, Advisors, 15% of members eligible to vote, or any member in good standing. Amendments proposed by a member must be approved by a majority of the Executive Committee or Board of Directors, or by at least 25% of members in good standing.

The individuals or committee that reviews and recommends changes to NJT’s bylaws shall be independent of those on the BOD who are authorized to approve such amendments to the bylaws.

All amendments shall be submitted in writing to the Chairman of the Board of Directors. The Chairman will review the proposed amendments within 30 days by appointing an independent special committee constituted of members from the GB. Prior to the formation of the committee, the BOD Chairman should invite GB members to participate in the special committee. The special committee should conduct at least one open forum meeting, announced at least 15 days in advance, with the proposed amendments, to get feedback and suggestions from members about the proposed bylaw changes, and forward the feedback and comments to the BOD Chairman.

The BOD Chairman should consult legal counsel about the changes and circulate the proposed bylaw amendments to the general body within 30 days. The details of the General Body meeting for the amendment, along with members’ feedback and the special committee’s comments, should be announced among the membership at least 15 days in advance by the BOD Chairman prior to being placed before the General Body for approval.

Section 2. Amendments to the bylaws and Certificate of Formation placed before the general body will be passed if approved by 2/3 of the eligible voters constituting the quorum present at the meeting, and shall be effective immediately. The ballot voting procedure should be conducted by an independent committee appointed by the BOD. The presence of 20% of eligible members of NJT shall be necessary to constitute a quorum for any amendments to the bylaws. The Secretary of NJT should notify the changes in the bylaws to the Secretary of State of New Jersey and the IRS, with a copy sent to the BOD.

Section 3. To give adequate time for members to renew their membership and for new members to sign up for the current year, any amendments to the bylaws cannot be brought before the general body in the first month of a calendar year.

Bylaw XI: Rights of Paid Members

• Right to information about EC, subcommittee, and BOD meetings.
• Right to call for, attend, and vote in general body meetings, as specified in the bylaws.
• Right to participate in elections, as specified in the bylaws.
• Right to ask for and review approved minutes of meetings and resolutions passed at official meetings of EC, subcommittees, and BOD. However, sensitive personal information pertaining to members of NJT, if in possession of the EC, subcommittees, and BOD during deliberations, will not be made public.
• Members shall give a valid reason or purpose to exercise any of these rights. Any information received shall be used only for the specified purpose. Any information received in hard copy shall be returned after the purpose is achieved. Any information received in electronic media shall be destroyed after the purpose is achieved.

Bylaw XII: Statement of Nondiscrimination

Notwithstanding any provision of these bylaws, the Corporation shall not discriminate against any Portfolio lead, officer, employee, applicant, or participant on the basis of sex, race, color, ethnicity, or national origin.

Bylaw XIII: Bylaw Effective Date

This Bylaw will be effective from the date it is adopted and approved by the General Body and shall be binding on the Executive Committee and other bodies of NJT, and its members.

Member Rights and Obligations

Access to Organizational Information

Members are accorded the right to obtain information pertaining to meetings of the Executive Committee (EC), subcommittees, and Board of Directors (BOD). Members may formally request, review, and access approved minutes and resolutions arising from official meetings held by these entities. It should be noted, however, that any sensitive personal information concerning members of NJT, if held by the EC, subcommittees, or BOD during deliberations, shall remain confidential and will not be released to the public.

Participation in Meetings

Members possess the right to convene, attend, and vote in general body meetings, in strict accordance with the stipulations set forth in the bylaws. This provision is established to ensure comprehensive member participation in all organizational decision-making processes.

Election Participation

Members are entitled to partake in organizational elections, as defined within the bylaws. This entitlement includes the right both to vote and to stand as candidates for positions within the organization, thereby promoting a democratic and inclusive structure.

Conditions for Exercising Rights

Members must present a valid justification or purpose when exercising any of the aforementioned rights. Information acquired through such rights must be utilized exclusively for the specified intent. Physical documents received must be returned upon fulfillment of the stated purpose, and any electronically conveyed information must be destroyed once the purpose has been achieved.