NAME: INDIAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE STUDY OF SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES & AIDS (IASSTD & AIDS) JURISDICTION: It is the only association of its kind existing in India having its members from all parts of India and also from Foreign countries as well OBJECTIVES:
    1. To co-ordinate and assist the activities not only of Physicians practicing in the subject and other related subjects but also of epidemiologists, psychiatrists, psychologists, public health nurses, social workers and all concerned with human behaviour and its effects on the spread of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and AIDS (Human Immuno-deficiency Virus infection).
    2. To collect and distribute information concerning methods for the prevention and control of STDs with a view to eliminate these diseases as public health problems throughout India.
    3. To stimulate research into the medical, serological and psychosocial aspects of STDs.
    4. To compile information on trends of incidence of the STDs throughout India.
    5. To organise seminars and other meetings and to participate with other International Organisations in meetings to study problems relating to control of STDs and AIDS.
    6. To provide information and material for health education bearing on this problem.
    7. As STD control is mainly the responsibility of the Government, the Association will co-operate with Government and Non-Government Organistaions who are actively engaged in the control of STDs including AIDS and also in the management of STD/AIDS patients like screening of vulnerable population and education of the public, specially the target groups like commercial sex workers, industrial workers, lorry drivers, students etc. Also when the association undertakes any STD programme they can seek the help of the Government.
    8. To make STD as a separate speciality for both undergraduate teaching as well as for post-graduate teaching at all colleges in India and also for patient care.
    9. They will meet once a year in different parts of India and the recommendations passed at these Annual meetings for the control of STDs and AIDS will be sent to the Government for appropriate action. Also recommendations pertaining to the professionals engaged in the management of STD/AIDS will also be sent to the Government for taking suitable action.
    10. The association will publish a Journal, The Indian Journal for the Study of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (IJSTD).
    REGISTERED OFFICE: The registered office address of the Association :  41/1, Secretariat Colony, Aminjikarai, Chennai 600029. MEMBERSHIP OF THE ASSOCIATION:
    • The membership of the Association shall be governed by the rules and regulations as laid down in the rules and bye-laws of IASSTD & AIDS.
    • Qualified allopathy doctors specialized in Venereology / Dermatology will be admitted as MEMBERS (both Life and Annual)
    • Qualified allopathy doctors in the field of Medical Microbiology, Pathology, Community Medicine, Psychiatric Medicine, Internal Medicine and those physicians working in the field of STD will be admitted as ASSOCIATE MEMBERS of the Association. Note: They may be admitted as MEMBERS later if they are found eligible by the screening Committee after he / she has been admitted as ASSOCIATE MEMBER.
    • Only after the consideration & approval from AGBM, qualified modern system of medicine persons other than qualified modern system of medicine doctors working in the field of Microbiology including Serology, Clinical Psychologists, Medical Sociologists, Epidemiologists, Public Health personnel including Public Health Nurses who are interested in the field of STD will be eligible to become ASSOCIATE MEMBERS
    • Medical Institutions Teaching / Non teaching, working in the field of STD may be admitted as Members / Associate Members (as the case may be), and all communications from the Association will be sent only to the Head of the Institution / Head of the Department of STD / Dermatology.
    • The admission of members shall be regulated by the prescribed membership enrollment form duly filled in Capital letters accompanied by the membership fees, short bio-data, Xerox copies of Degree Certificate issued by the concerned university and Registration Certificate issued by the Medical Council or its equivalent body together with a copy of recent passport size photograph of the person. The screening committee shall be the competent authority to admit new members.
    FEES: As on 01-01-2024 (Subject to revision by the General Body from time to time, if need be) Members: Life : Rs.8,000 (Rupees Eight Thousand only) Associate Members: Life : Rs.8,000 (Rupees Eight Thousand only) Institutions Members : Rs.20,000 (Rupees Twenty Thousand only) Foreign Members / Associate Members : $400 USD OFFICIAL YEAR : The Official year for the Association will be from 1st April to 31st march MANAGEMENT : The activities of the association would be managed by the following office bearers:
    1. President : One
    2. President Elect : One
    3. Vice – Presidents : Two
    4. Secretary : One
    5. Joint – Secretaries : Two
    6. Treasurer : One
    7. Editor : One
    8. Associate Editor : One
    9. Executive Committee Members : Twelve (Eight elected which includes the immediate Past President and immediate past Secretary and four co-opted members)
    10. Zonal Representatives : Five (Co-opted)
    All the co-opted members of the Association will enjoy all the rights and privileges of the elected members. PERIOD OF OFFICE OF THE OFFICE BEARERS:
    • The office bearers shall hold office for one year or till the next committee is elected.
    • The term of office of the members of the committee shall not exceed three years from the date of their appointment. The member of the committee shall however be eligible for reappointment or to contest.
    POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: The Executive Committee shall:
    1. be the authority to admit new members.
    2. shall have power to suggest byelaws for the affairs of the Association, which has to be ratified by the General Body.
    3. interpret the rules and byelaws of the Association whenever necessary.
    4. have powers to appoint sub-committees for special purposes and to delegate powers to such committees.
    5. administer the funds of the Association and do all such other acts as may be necessary in the interest of the Association and in consonance with the objectives of the Association.
    6. appoint auditors to audit the accounts of Association.
    7. vacancies occurring in the executive committee during the year shall be filled by co-option by the executive committee at the next meeting convened after the occurrence of the vacancy.
    MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:
    • The Executive Committee shall meet at least once in three months or more frequently. The President or in his absence, one of the Vice-Presidents or in their absence, one of the members present elected by the executive committee shall preside over the meeting. The quorum for the meeting shall be five inclusive of the Office bearers.
    • For all the meetings of the executive committee, 15 days notice shall be given, but the urgent meeting if any may be convened by the Secretary giving at least 5 days notice. Special meeting of the E C may be convened by the Secretary with the permission of the President or on a written requisition by at least five members of the E C to discuss any specific matter or matters.
    • Any meeting of the E C if adjourned for want of quorum to a subsequent day, fresh notice shall be necessary for such meetings but quorum is not required for it.
    • Special meeting of the E C shall be held at least seven days before or prior to the Annual General Body Meeting, to admit new members who have joined the Association after the last E C meet, convened for adopting the draft of the Annual Report, statement of accounts etc. No quorum is necessary for the meeting.
    • The E C for adopting the draft of the annual report and audited statement of accounts shall meet one day prior to or on the same day of the Annual General Body Meeting.
    FINANCE OF THE ASSOCIATION AND CONTROL OF THE SAME: The funds of the association shall be deposited in a scheduled bank or in any bank approved by the E C and the bank account shall be opened jointly by the President, Secretary and Treasurer and any two of the three members shall operate the account. If for any reason, the office of either the Secretary or the Treasurer falls vacant, the E C shall nominate a person or persons in the vacancy and such nominated person or persons shall operate the bank accounts or the President and Secretary can nominate a person or persons and later they can be ratified by the Executive Committee. GENERAL BODY:
    • The ultimate authority on all matters relating to the administration of the Association shall rest with the General Body of the Association.
    • Annual General Body Meeting will be held before the month of September every year. Extra-ordinary General Body Meeting will be held alongwith Annual National Conference every year.
    •  The following business shall be transacted at such meetings:
      1. Considerations of the Annual Report and Audited statement of the accounts of the Association
      2. Consideration of the alteration / addition to the rules and bye-laws of the Association, if any.
      3. Election of Office Bearers and Executive Committee members for the successive year.
      4. Election of Editor & Associate Editor of the Indian Journal of Sexually Transmitted Diseases for a term of three years.
      5. Any other business of which due notice has been given in writing.
    • Every LIFE MEMBER of the Association and the ANNUAL MEMBERS who are not in arrears of subscription, and such of those admitted under the rules of the association as new MEMBERS (refer admission rules) shall be entitled to attend and vote at the General Body Meeting.
    • The President, or in his absence, one of the Vice-Presidents, or in their absence, one of the members shall have a casting vote in the case of equality of votes. The quorum for the General Body meeting shall be thirty members inclusive of the Office bearers. Thirty days clear notice shall be given for the A G B meeting and such notice shall be duly circulated to all the members of the Association.
    • Any member desirous of moving any resolution at the A G B meeting shall do so in writing and send the resolution to the Secretary at least fifteen days before the day of A G B meeting.
    • Special meeting of the G B may be called at any time by the office bearers or on a written requisition from at least twenty members of the association stating the purpose and in respect of such meeting seven days clear notice along with the agenda shall be circulated. No other business shall be discussed on the agenda except the specific business for which the meeting has been requisitioned.
    • A quorum of 1/3 members is required for Annual genral Body Meeting / Extra-ordinary General Body Meeting. If the quorum is not present the meeting is adjourned to 1 Hour where no quorum is not required.
    • To pass any special resolution ¾ of members present at the General Body Meeting should agree the resolution.
    PROCEDURE FOR ELECTION:
    • A person nominated by the Office bearers or the Executive Committee may act as the Returning Officer for the election.
    • Nomination to all posts of the Office shall be made in the specific form sent to the MEMBERS by the Secretary and should be filed on or before the date specified by the Returning Officer, duly proposed and seconded by the MEMBERS of the Association.
    • ASSOCIATE MEMBERS are not eligible to contest for any post or to vote.
    • The nominees shall be physically present during the elections at the venue of the elections.
    • The nominees, the proposer and the seconder should all be LIFE MEMBERS or if he / she is an ANNUAL MEMBER that MEMBER should not be in arrears of subscription at the time of proposing / seconding.
    • For the office of the President, Secretary and the Treasurer, the nominee must be a LIFE MEMBER for at least five years and with good standing. For the Office of Vice Presidents and Joint Secretaries, the nominee should be a LIFE MEMBER for at least three years and with good standing.
    • The candidate is free to withdraw his nomination any time before the election.
    FRANCHISE:
    • Every MEMBER of the General Body or the Executive Committee shall be entitled to one vote only at the respective meeting.
    • Every question (except matter relating to alteration of rules and disciplinary action against members) at every meeting of the G.B. and E.C. shall be decided by a majority.
    Any amendment / alteration to the rules of the Association shall be made only by the General Body at a duly convened meeting and provided two thirds of the members present at that meeting support the same. Bye-Laws of the Association ELECTION OF OFFICE BEARERS:
    • Eligibility: Candidates for the Office of President, Secretary & Treasurer should be a LIFE MEMBER of the Association for at least five years and of good standing and for the office of Vice Presidents and Joint Secretaries, the candidate should be a LIFE MEMBER for at least three years and with good standing.
    • The proposer and the Seconder should be a MEMBER of the Association for at least three years.
    DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE OFFICE BEARERS: President:
    1. The President shall be the Chairman of all the meetings of the E C and any other committee of which he is a member.
    2. Preside over the Annual and Special G B Meetings.
    3. Guide and control the activities of the Association
    4. Regulate the proceedings of the meeting, interpret the rules and regulations and bye-laws and clarify doubtful and disputed points.
    5. Have in addition to his ordinary vote, a casting vote in the event of tie and equality of votes.
    Vice – Presidents:
    1. The Vice-Presidents shall act as Chairman of the meetings of the E C and the Annual & Special G B meetings in the absence of the President.
    2. Act as a Chairman of all the sub-committees and the committees of which he is a member in case the President is absent or is not a member.
    Secretary:
    1. The Secretary shall be in charge of the Office of the Association.
    2. Shall handle and conduct all the correspondences on behalf of the Association.
    3. Get prepared by the Treasurer, an annual statement of accounts duly audited by an auditor for adoption by the A G B Meeting.
    4. Be the ex-officio member of all the committees.
    5. Maintain a correct and up to date list of all the members of the Association.
    6. Submit reports and other returns as required by any authority.
    7. Bring any matter which he considers necessary in the interest of the Association to the notice of the E C and act according to the guidance and instructions of the EC.
    8. Send the annual report and agenda for the Annual General Body meeting to all the members at least thirty days before the A G B Meeting.
    Joint – Secretaries:
    1. The Joint-Secretaries shall co operate with the Secretary in all matters relating to the Association and perform the functions assigned to him by the E C.
    2. Convene all Scientific meetings of the Association, Symposia, Workshops etc. and send the report to the Journal of the Association.
    Treasurer
    1. The Treasurer shall receive all monies of the Association and deposit the same in a Nationalised bank approved by the E.C. to the credit of the association.
    2. Be responsible for the collections of subscription promptly.
    3. Dispose the bills for payment and issue cheques as sanctioned by the Secretary or the Executive Committee.
    4. Have the right to point any error or discrepancy in order of payment
    5. Be responsible for keeping up to date accounts of the Association with all books duly posted8