Proceedings at General Meetings

*52. At all General Meetings the President of the Council for the time being, and in his absence any one of the Vice-Presidents of the Council, shall be Chairman, and in the absence of both, the Chairman shall be elected by the Members of the Council present, from one of their number. In case none of the Council shall be present or willing to take the chair, the Chairman shall be elected by the Members present from among themselves.

53. Ten Members present personally, shall be a quorum; and unless the quorum requisite shall be present at any General Meeting within half an hour after the time appointed for the meeting, the meeting shall (unless convened on the requisition of Members) stand adjourned for a fortnight, and be then held at the same time and place, and the business on the agenda paper, but no other shall then be disposed of by the Members present in person or by proxy, who shall constitute a quorum. Unless a quorum be present at any General Meeting convened on the requisition of Members within half an hour after the time appointed for the meeting, the meeting shall be dissolved.

54. The Chairman of any meeting may, with the consent of the meeting, adjourn the meeting from time to time, and from place to place, but no business shall be transacted at any adjourned meeting other than the business left unfinished at the meeting from which the adjournment took place. When a meeting is adjourned for thirty days or more notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given as in the case of an original meeting. Save as aforesaid, it shall not be necessary to give any notice of an adjournment or of the business to be transacted at an adjourned meeting.

55. The first business at every General Meeting after the chair is taken shall be the reading of the minutes of the then last General Meeting, and if the minutes do not appear to the meeting to have been signed according to the Ordinance or these presents, they shall, on being found or made correct, be signed by the Chairman of the meeting at which they are read.

56. At any General Meeting, a resolution put to the vote of the meeting shall be decided on a show of hands, unless a poll is (before or on the declaration of the results of a show of hands) demanded:-

(a) by the Chairman; or

(b) by at least five Members present in person or by proxy; or

(c) by any Member or Members present in person or by proxy and representing not less than one-tenth of the total voting rights of all the Members having the right to vote at the meeting.

Unless a poll be so demanded, a declaration by the Chairman that a resolution has, on a show of hands, been carried, or carried unanimously, or by a particular majority, or lost, and an entry to that effect in the book containing the minutes of the proceedings of the Institute, shall be conclusive evidence of the fact, without proof of the number or proportion of the votes recorded in favour of, or against such resolution.

The demand for a poll may be withdrawn.

The Chairman of the Meeting shall nominate three members present to act as Scrutineers on any poll.

57. Except as provided in Article 59 if a poll is duly demanded and the demand be not withdrawn it shall be taken in such manner and at such time and place as the Chairman may direct and the result of the poll shall be deemed to be the resolution of the meeting at which the poll was demanded.

58. In the case of an equality of votes, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, the Chairman of the meeting at which the show of hands takes place or at which the poll is demanded, shall be entitled to a second or casting vote.

59. A poll demanded on the election of a Chairman, or on a question of an adjournment shall be taken forthwith. A poll demanded on any other question shall be taken within 60 days of the date of the meeting in accordance with Article 57, and any business other than that upon which a poll has been demanded may be proceeded with pending the taking of the poll.

* As amended by Special Resolution passed on 16th November 1993