Part 45, Issue # 104 - February 20, 2003 Our appeal to all institutional and individual members of Philatelic Congress of India (PCI) to find out the facts brought quite a few positive responses.
While investigating the location of the registered office of the PCI we found that, believe it or not, it simply does not exist.
The registered office is a statutory requirement and must be situated in the National Capital territory of Delhi as the PCI is registered as a society with the Registrar of Societies, Government of the National Capital territory of Delhi under the Societies Registration Act of 1860 as applicable to the National Capital territory of Delhi. There is no provision under the law to move it out of the National Capital territory of Delhi to any other state.
The registered office as per the Memorandum of Association printed and circulated by PCI is "Dolphins", S-484, Greater Kailsh II, New Delhi 1100048. This address was the residence of G B Pai who has since sold the house and moved from Delhi to Harayana State in 1995.
Our investigations also uncovered a communication forwarded to the Registrar of Societies by Brahm Mehta on September 4, 1996 that has asked to change the address to D-409 Defence Colony, New Delhi 110024 that was the residence of Brigadier D S Virk who died in early 1997. However mere communicating the address change to the Registrar of Societies is not sufficient under the law. The change of registered address is an amendment of the Memorandum of Association and requires the due process to be completed as provided for in section 12 of the Societies Registration Act of 1860 as applicable to the National Capital territory of Delhi.
The Governing Council of the PCI in a resolution passed at the meeting held at New Delhi on December 20, 1997 shifted the registered office to B-2/55 Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi 110029 that is the residence of Mehta. This change till date is not communicated to the Registrar of Societies and now even Mehta has denied that his residence is the registered office of the PCI.
The PCI is functioning in an invalid and illegal manner since day one and this is but one example.
We believe it is high time for PCI members to take action for correcting the situation. |