ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP

1. No person can claim admission to the Association as a matter of right on payment of prescribed membership fee.  The Executive Board has the final discretion to grant or refuse admission to the Association.
2. There shall be three classes of members  (a) Constituent (b) Associate and (c) Individual.

a. Constituent Members

Constituent members shall be such of the following institutions and communities and admitted by the Executive Board to constituent membership:

1. Catholic Health Care institutions including   Medical Colleges, Schools and Colleges of Nursing, other training centres for health care personnel, general and special clinics, hospitals, dispensaries, Homes for the care and cure of the sick, physically/mentally challenged and/or the aged and Centres for special care [Tuberculosis, Leprosy, substance abuse, Terminally ill (Cancer / HIV / AIDS etc)] etc which are conducted under Catholic religious or ecclesiastical authority.
2. Diocesan Social Service Societies and other Social Service Societies in the Diocese run by the Religious Congregations with the approval of and under the Ecclesiastical authority.
3. National associations of religious health professionals.
4. Upon conditions specified by the Executive Board, constituent members may also be institutions under Catholic sponsorship, which are not included in the above categories.

Every constituent member has the right to appoint a delegate to attend and vote at the meetings of the Association on its behalf.

b.  Individual Members

1. Chaplains of Hospitals, Priests or Religious working in Health Care and/ or development organisations
2. Catholic individuals who are employed in or are attached to member or non-member health care institutions in administrative and professional capacity.
3. Catholic Individuals who have worked in the field of health and/or development for ten years or more

 c.   Associate Members

 Associate Membership is granted to

1.  Health Care institutions run by Catholic lay communities registered as charitable institutions under relevant Acts, individual bodies or communities interested in participating and co-operating in the effective achievement of the Association’s aims and objectives
2. Religious communities who are serving or managing secular health care     institutions
3. Major Superiors of Religious (Priests, Sisters and Brothers) Congregations

The total number of Associate and Individuals members shall not exceed one-third of the Constituent members of the Association.

ARTICLE IV – PRIVILEGES AND DUTIES OF MEMBERSHIP 

1.    Privileges of Members

      a.  General Privileges

All the members of the Association constitute the General Body.  The privileges of Membership enjoyed by all members of the Association, constituent, individual or associate, include the following:

1. The privileges of the floor in the professional discussions at any committee or other meetings of the association.
2. Participation in the Association’s professional activity as members of the standing or special committees of the Association.
3. The right of the professional services of the Association’s central office.
4. The right to receive notice of annual and special general body meetings
5. The right to receive copies of byelaw, receipts and payments account and balance sheet of the Association.

b.  Constituent Members

1. All constituent members are entitled to one vote, through their duly appointed delegates, present at the meeting.
2.  Any delegate of the constituent members is eligible to be elected to the offices of the Association, as per the rules governing elections.

c.  Associate and Individual members

 Associate and individual members shall not have the right to vote.  They shall not be eligible to be elected to the offices of the Association, but they may serve as Chairpersons or members of committees.

2.   Duties of members

It shall be the duty of the members to:

1. strive for the achievement of the aims and objects of the Association and collaborate with the Executive Board for the same.
2. pay an annual membership fee as fixed from time to time by the General Body Meeting. The membership fee shall be paid during the first quarter of the calendar year.  No member whose subscription is in arrears and thereby has lost the membership shall be entitled to vote or to be voted for.

ARTICLE V – LOSS OF MEMBERSHIP

1.   Membership shall be lost:

1.  when the conditions for membership specified, cease to exist.
2.  by formal removal by the Executive Board after due enquiry, for failure to comply with the aims and objects of the organisation and the rules thereof and when the conditions for membership specified, cease to exist.  The aggrieved party may appeal to the General Body.
3. by voluntary withdrawal
4. by failure in payment of the membership fee for a continuous period of three years (effective from the close of the calendar year and payment of  dues, if any):
5. When the person is of unsound mind
6.  If the person is convicted for any criminal offence.
7.  When a person is convicted of moral turpitude and scandalous behaviour.

2.  The membership fee paid shall be forfeited to the Association in all cases under  (1) to (7) above.