Schedule (Section 24)
Seal, offices and meetings of the council and the committees
1.Common seal of the council(1)The common seal of the council shall be such device as the council may determine and shall be kept in the custody of the secretary.(2)The common seal shall, when affixed onto any document, be authenticated by the signatures of the chairperson and the secretary of the council.(3)In the absence of the chairperson, the vice chairperson shall authenticate the seal in place of the chairperson; and in the absence of the secretary, the person performing the functions of the secretary shall authenticate in place of the secretary.(4)The signatures of the chairperson, secretary or other members of the council under this paragraph shall be independent of the signing by any other person as witness.(5)A contract or instrument which if entered into or executed by a person not being a body corporate would not be required to be under seal may be entered into or executed without seal on behalf of the council by the secretary or any other person authorised in that behalf by the council.(6)Every document purporting to be—(a)an instrument issued by the council and sealed with the common seal of the council, authenticated in the manner prescribed in this paragraph; or(b)a contract or instrument entered into or executed under subparagraph (5) of this paragraph,shall be received in evidence without further proof as an instrument duly issued or contract or instrument duly entered into or executed unless the contrary is proved.2.Tenure of office of women's councils and committees(1)Subject to this Act, every women's council and women's committee shall remain in office for four years from the date of its inception, after which it shall automatically lapse and dissolve.(2)A member of a women's committee vacating office at the end of her term shall, subject to this Act, be eligible for reelection.3.Vacation of office of a member of a women's council or women's committeeExcept for a village women's council, the seat of a member of a women's council or a women's committee shall fall vacant if—(a)the member resigns from the women's council;(b)without reasonable cause or the permission of the chairperson, the member fails to attend two consecutive meetings of the council;(c)the member is under sentence of death or imprisonment exceeding six months, imposed on her by a court of law;(d)the member has been convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude within the preceding six years;(e)circumstances arise which disqualify a member from membership under any other law.4.Removal of member of women's council or women's committeeExcept for a village women's council, a women's council or women's committee may remove from office any member of that council or of the women's committee of that council on any of the following grounds—(a)inability to perform the functions of her office, arising out of infirmity of body or mind;(c)breach of law or public trust; or(d)a vote of no confidence passed by a two-thirds majority of the members.5.Filling of vacancies on councils and committeesExcept in the case of a village women's council, where the office of a member of a women's council or women's committee becomes vacant, the committee of the relevant women's council shall organise an election for the vacancy to be filled.6.Meetings of the council(1)The council shall meet at such times and places as the chairperson may determine, but it shall meet at least once in each year.(2)The chairperson shall also convene a meeting of the council if requested to do so in writing by not less than one-third of the members of the council.(3)The chairperson shall preside at each meeting of the council; and in her absence, the vice chairperson shall preside.(4)In the absence of both the chairperson and vice chairperson, a member of the council elected by the members present shall preside.(5)The quorum at any meeting of the council shall be one-third of the members of the council, and the quorum shall be maintained throughout the meeting.(6)Any matter coming for determination by the council at any meeting shall be determined by a general consensus, but where a consensus cannot be reached, the matter shall be determined by a simple majority of the members present and voting; but in the event of an equality of votes, the chairperson or other person presiding at the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.(7)The council may co-opt any person who is not a member to attend any of its meetings as an adviser or consultant, and that person may participate in the deliberations at the meetings on any matter in relation to which advice is sought but shall not have the right to vote on any matter coming for decision before the meeting.(8)Subject to this paragraph, the council may regulate the procedure of its membership and any other matter relating to its meetings and may in particular prescribe the period of notice to be given in respect of any such meeting.(9)Minutes of every meeting of the council shall be recorded in writing and shall be presented to and approved by the council at its next subsequent meeting and signed by the person presiding at the latter meeting and the secretary.7.Meetings of women's councils(1)The district women's council shall meet for the discharge of its functions under this Act at least once in every six months, at such time and place as the chairperson of the district women's council may determine.(2)The chairperson of the district women's council shall also convene a special meeting—(a)upon the request in writing of not less than one-third of the members of the district women's council;(b)whenever she considers it necessary to do so.(3)A women's council other than a district women's council shall meet for the discharge of its functions under this Act at least once in every three months, at such time and place as its chairperson may determine.(4)The chairperson of a women's council referred to in subparagraph (3) of this paragraph shall also convene a special meeting—(a)upon the request in writing of not less than one-third of the members of that council;(b)whenever she considers it necessary to do so.(5)A notice calling a meeting, together with the agenda for that meeting, shall be circulated to each member of the women's council at least fourteen days before the date of the meeting.(6)The chairperson of a women's council shall preside at every meeting of the women's council, and in her absence the vice chairperson shall preside.(7)In the absence of both the chairperson and the vice chairperson at a meeting of a women's council, a member elected by the members present shall preside.(8)One-third of the members of the women's council shall form a quorum at any of its meetings, and that quorum shall be maintained throughout the meeting.(9)Any matter coming for determination at a meeting of a women's council shall be determined by general consensus, but where a consensus cannot be reached, the matter shall be determined by a simple majority of the members present and voting; but in the event of an equality of votes, the chairperson or other person presiding at the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.(10)A women's council may co-opt any person who is not a member to attend any of its meetings as an adviser or consultant, and that person may participate in the deliberations at the meeting on any matter in relation to which advice is sought but shall not have the right to vote on any matter coming for decision before the meeting.(11)Subject to this Schedule, a women's council may regulate its own proceedings.8.Minutes of meetings of a women's council(1)The minutes of every meeting of a district women's council shall be kept.(2)The minutes of every meeting of a women's council shall be kept, and copies of the minutes shall be sent to the chairperson of the women's council immediately higher.(3)The minutes of the meetings of a district women's council required to be kept by this paragraph shall be in English and shall be open to inspection during normal office hours by members of the public.(4)The minutes of the meetings of a women's council other than a district women's council required to be kept under this paragraph shall be kept in a language to be decided upon by each women's council and shall be open to inspection during normal office hours by members of the public.9.Meetings of a women's committee(1)A women's committee shall meet for the discharge of its duties at least once every month at such time and place as the chairperson of the committee may direct.(2)Notice calling a meeting, together with the agenda for that meeting, shall be circulated to each member of the women's committee, at least seven days before the date of the meeting.(3)The chairperson of a women's committee shall preside at every meeting of the women's committee; and in her absence, the vice chairperson shall preside.(4)In the absence of both the chairperson and vice chairperson at a meeting of a women's committee, a member of the women's committee elected by the members present shall preside.(5)The quorum at a meeting of a women's committee shall be three members.(6)A women's committee may co-opt any person who is not a member to attend any of its meetings as an adviser or consultant, and that person may speak at the meeting on any matter in relation to which advice is sought but shall not have the right to vote on any matter coming for decision before the meeting.(7)Subject to this Schedule, a women's committee may regulate its own proceedings.10.Minutes of meetings of a women's committeeParagraph 8 of this Schedule regarding the keeping of minutes of a women's council shall, with the necessary modifications, apply to the keeping of minutes of a women's committee meeting.11.Service of documentsWithout prejudice to any other written law, a notice or document required to be served on the council may be served by leaving it at the office of the secretary or by sending it by prepaid registered post to the secretary.