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| GUEST EDITORIAL |
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| Ahead of print publication |
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AIOS constitutional reforms: Be the change
S Natarajan
Chairman, AIOS Constitution Reforms and Implementation Committee, Immediate Past President - AIOS. Chairman and Managing Director - Aditya Jyot Eye Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| Date of Web Publication | 10-Apr-2021 |
Correspondence Address:
S Natarajan,
Chairman, AIOS Constitution Reforms and Implementation Committee, Immediate Past President - AIOS. Chairman and Managing Director - Aditya Jyot Eye Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None DOI: 10.4103/ijo.IJO_737_21
“Be the change you want to see in the world” – Mahatma Gandhi.
The All India Ophthalmological Society (AIOS) is a gigantic network of ophthalmologists of India. It is a democratic organization and like every other democracy, it runs on elections.
As immediate past President, AIOS and the current Chairman, AIOS Constitution Reforms and Implementation Committee, I firmly believe that the amendment to Memorandum Rules and Regulations (MRR) must be implemented to have the way for a brighter future for AIOS.
On February 5, 2020, as President AIOS, I conducted a special general body meeting, which was held in Mumbai, wherein AIOS Constitution Reforms and Implementation Committee was formed and approved.
Section 12 of the Societies Registration Act[1] states that “Whenever it shall appear to the governing body of any society registered under this Act, which has been established for any particular purpose or purposes, that it is advisable to alter, extend, or abridge such purpose or purposes within the meaning of this Act, or to amalgamate such society either wholly or partially with any other society, such governing body may submit the proposition to the members of the society in a written or printed report, and may convene a special meeting for the consideration thereof according to the regulations of the society; but no such proposition shall have been agreed to by the votes of three-fifths of the members delivered in person or by proxy, and confirmed by the votes of three-fifths of the members present at a second special meeting convened by the governing body at an interval of one month after the former meeting.” It was then decided that ensuring the votes of three-fifths of the members is an impossible feat and thus it became futile.
After a an online meeting held on March 18, 2020, and consulting the senior advocate, a legal opinion stated that the present Regulation 28 be done away with and a new procedure that is fair, just, practical, and unbiased of Memorandum Rules and Regulations should be adopted to enhance the efficiency and to keep AIOS abreast with developments in the fields of medicine, science, and technology and to attain the founding objectives of AIOS and serve the purpose thereof.
In January 2014, a Constitutional Reforms Committee was formed by the then President Dr. Queresh B. Maskati under the chairmanship of Late Dr. Babu Rajendran, past President AIOS. The committee had submitted detailed proposed amendments on Memorandum Rules and Regulations, and Bylaws. The proposed amendments could not take place at that time as they involved making changes in the Memorandum Rules and Regulations of the society, for which sufficient quorum was not present.
However, now, times have changed. The present AIOS leadership has taken the first step to ensure complete democracy in the organization. Amendment of clause 28 is the first and most crucial step that is needed to bring about the wave of change. However, to bring about this amendment, we need three-fifths of the current ratified voting AIOS members to approve of it.
The voting process for the Constitution Referendum will be initiated from April 2, 2021, and will end on April 11, 2021, followed by Special General Body Meeting on April 12, 2021.
Your positive response is extremely essential since we need the consent of around 23,000 members to move ahead. I am extending my complete support to the President, Secretary, and Governing Council (GC) members to implement this amendment. Together we will achieve. Need all your support to bring about this change. And I will BE the change to initiate that butterfly effect.[2]
Acknowledgments
Dr. Aishwarya B. Iyer, Vitreoretina Fellow (FVRS) Aditya Jyot Eye Hospital, Mumbai.
| About the author | |  |
Prof. S. Natarajan
Padmashri Prof. Dr. S. Natarajan, is renowned for his skills as a vitreoretinal surgeon, keen academic mind and for his philanthropic initiatives in prevention of blindness. He is one of the only two Indians inducted in the Retina Hall of Fame. At present he serves on the ICO Board of Trustees, is President Asia-Pacific Ophthalmic Trauma Society, and Sankara Nethralaya Alumni. Founder of Aditya Jyot Eye Hospital and Aditya Jyot Foundation for Twinkling Little Eyes, he has introduced offline artificial intelligence for diabetic retinopathy screening, for the first time in the world. He has been the recipient of several national and International awards.
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