Election Positions & Process

Dear Community members,

As mentioned in my previous communication, we intend to hold elections for executive committee positions. To that end, I will outline the process for anyone who intends to apply for any one of the five positions described below.

The five positions are:

  • President
  • Vice President
  • Treasurer
  • Secretary
  • Assistant Secretary

Executive members of a charity are legally considered trustees. This means they have a shared and collective responsibility for the charity’s governance, financial stability, and for ensuring it operates in the best interests of its beneficiaries and in accordance with the law and its own governing document. While they all share these fundamental duties, each of the positions mentioned has specific responsibilities that contribute to the overall management of the charity.

Before diving into the specific roles, it’s crucial to understand the core duties that apply to every member of the committee. According to the Charity Commission, all trustees must:

  • Ensure the charity is carrying out its purposes for the public benefit. This means everything the charity does must be in line with its stated aims and objectives, as defined in its governing document.
  • Comply with the charity’s governing document and the law. This includes following charity law and other relevant legislation.
  • Act in the charity’s best interests. This means making decisions that will best enable the charity to carry out its purposes, avoiding conflicts of interest, and not receiving any unauthorised personal benefits.
  • Manage the charity’s resources responsibly. Trustees are responsible for the financial health of the charity, ensuring its assets are used efficiently and that proper financial controls are in place.
  • Act with reasonable care and skill. This means using personal knowledge and experience to help the charity make sound decisions and seeking professional advice when needed.

Specific responsibilities for each executive position.

  1. President / Chair

The President (or Chair) is the leader of the trustee board and the charity’s public face.

  • Strategic Leadership: Provides leadership to the board, sets the strategic direction, and ensures the charity’s vision and mission are upheld.
  • Meeting Management: Chairs all committee meetings and the Annual General Meeting (AGM), ensuring they are run efficiently and inclusively. Works with the Secretary to set the agenda and ensure all necessary information is provided to trustees.
  • External Representation: Acts as the primary spokesperson and ambassador for the charity, building relationships with the community, other organisations, and potential funders.
  • Oversight: Monitors the charity’s performance against its strategic goals and holds other committee members and any staff accountable for their work.
  • Board Development: Fosters a positive and effective culture on the board and ensures new trustees are properly inducted and trained.
  1. Vice President / Vice-Chair

The Vice President plays a crucial supporting role to the President and is prepared to step in when needed.

  • Support and Assistance: Provides direct support to the President, acting as a “critical friend” and sounding board for ideas.
  • Deputising: Takes on the full duties of the President in their absence, including chairing meetings and representing the charity.
  • Delegated Duties: May be assigned specific responsibilities by the President, such as leading a particular project, overseeing a committee, or leading a fundraising drive.
  • Trustee Liaison: Can act as a point of contact for other trustees who may need to discuss concerns or ideas outside of formal meetings.
  1. Treasurer

The Treasurer is responsible for overseeing the financial management of the charity. This is a critical role with significant legal duties.

  • Financial Oversight: Ensures the charity maintains proper accounting records, sound financial controls, and risk management systems.
  • Budgeting and Reporting: Leads the development of the annual budget and presents regular, clear financial reports to the committee.
  • Compliance: Ensures the charity meets all financial legal and regulatory requirements, including the preparation of annual accounts and filing them with the Charity Commission and Companies House (if applicable) on time.
  • Financial Strategy: Works with the committee to develop a financial strategy that ensures the charity’s long-term sustainability.
  • Fundraising: Plays a key role in supporting the charity’s fundraising efforts by providing financial data and analysis for grant applications and appeals.
  1. Secretary

The Secretary is the guardian of the charity’s governance and administration.

  • Governance and Compliance: Ensures the charity complies with its governing document and keeps accurate records of all decisions and key documents.
  • Meeting Administration: Works with the President to prepare agendas, issue meeting notices, and takes accurate minutes of all committee and general meetings.
  • Record-Keeping: Maintains all official records, including minutes, attendance records, and any statutory registers (e.g., a register of members).
  • Communication: Manages internal and external correspondence on behalf of the board.
  • Formal Filings: Ensures that all necessary documents, such as changes in trustee details, are filed with the Charity Commission in a timely manner.
  1. Assistant Secretary

The Assistant Secretary’s primary role is to support the Secretary and learn the administrative processes of the charity.

  • Support for the Secretary: Assists the Secretary with their duties, such as preparing meeting papers, taking minutes, or managing correspondence.
  • Administrative Tasks: Handles specific administrative tasks as delegated by the Secretary.
  • Deputizing: Is prepared to take on the Secretary’s duties in their absence, ensuring continuity in the charity’s governance.

In a Hindu charity context, these roles would also be infused with a sense of Sewa (selfless service). The executive members would be expected to not only fulfil their legal duties but also to act as custodians of the community’s trust, upholding the charity’s religious and cultural values in all their work.

Election Process:

In the coming weeks and months, we intend to follow the steps outlined below to ensure a structured and open election process is followed.

1: Call for Applications/Nominations

  • Announce the vacancies: We will publicise the open positions to community members through our website and email communications
  • Set a deadline: We will clearly state the deadline for applications or nominations.
  • Provide an application form: We will send out a simple application form that will allow candidates to describe themselves and how they meet the requirements.

2: Candidate Vetting and Eligibility

  • Legal requirements: In the UK, most charity trustees (committee members) must be over 18. Certain individuals are legally disqualified from being a trustee, such as those with an unspent conviction for a dishonesty or deception offense, those declared bankrupt, or those who have been removed as a trustee by the Charity Commission. The existing committee will undertake due diligence checks to ensure all applicants meet these criteria. Applicants may be requested to provide DBS check forms.
  • Pre-election discussions: The current committee can hold informal chats with applicants to ensure they understand the role and to allows the applicants to ask questions.

3: Preparing for the Election Event

  • Create a list of eligible voters: We will create an accurate list of all community members who are entitled to vote, this will be focused on those attending our annual gathering along with those who cannot attend but have expressed an interest to vote by mail.
  • Candidate information: We will collect a short biography and a statement from each candidate to be shared with the voting members before the election. This helps voters make an informed choice.
  • Election Notice: We will send out a formal notice for the meeting where the election will be held. This notice will  include:
    • The date, time, and location of the meeting (or the online platform should we choose to use one).
    • An agenda, including the election as a main item.
    • The names and statements of all candidates.
    • Details on how members can participate and vote.
  1.  Holding the Election

We will have two main options: an in-person election or an online election however this is to be determined and we may exercise only one or the other.

Option 1: In-person Election (Held on the day the community gathers)

  • Setting up: We will allocate space for election activities
  • Voting:
    • Use a ballot box and paper ballots for a traditional approach.
    • Clearly instruct voters on how to mark their ballot.
    • Ensure voting is private and anonymous.
    • Have at least two independent individuals (not candidates or current committee members) to oversee the counting of votes.
  • Announcement of Results: Announce the results publicly at the meeting.

Option 2: Online Election – (this will be secondary option but remote in possibility due to technical complexity)

  • Platform Selection: Choose a secure and reliable online platform for the election. Consider platforms that offer features like:
    • Voter authentication to ensure only eligible members can vote.
    • Anonymity to protect the privacy of the vote.
    • A clear interface for viewing candidate information and casting a vote.
    • Auditing capabilities to verify the results.
  • Communication: Provide clear instructions to community members on how to access the online platform, how to vote, and the timeline for the election (e.g., voting period opening and closing times).
  • Voting Period: Set a specific timeframe for the online vote to take place.
  • Integrity and Security: Take steps to ensure the security of the vote and the integrity of the results. This might involve a trusted third-party service.
  • Announcement of Results: Announce the results publicly at the general meeting.

 Post-Election Activities and formal handover

  • Formal Appointment: The newly elected committee members will  be formally appointed during our annual gathering (Q1 2026), and a record of this decision will be documented in the charity’s minutes.
  • Onboarding: Provide the new members with a proper induction. This will include an overview of the charity’s mission, governing document, finances, and a briefing on their legal duties and responsibilities as trustees.
  • Update the Charity Commission: We will inform the Charity Commission of any changes to your trustee board. This must be done promptly.

By following these steps, we can ensure our charity’s election is conducted fairly, transparently, and in full compliance with UK charity law, which is a key requirement of the Charity Commission.

I would welcome any questions or comments on this process, which is intended to be supportive and inclusive, via email.

Best regards,

Vijay Parmar

Secretary, Jan-Kshatriya Sevak Mandal