Code of Conduct forSONE-UKExecutive Committee Election-2016

  1. Purpose: This guideline assists in conducting fair election for Executive Committee and the guideline should be read in conjunction with SONE-UK Constitution.
  2. Constitution and By-Laws: Elections shall be conducted according to the Society’s Constitution and By-Laws.
  3. Election Committee (EC): The role of EC is to conduct in its eternity, the election for 1st Executive Committee. The roles of EC are;
  • Preparation of the notice to invite nominations
  • Ensuring notice is published
  • Publishing the nomination form in the Society’s Web Page, also send it through Society’s Group Mail.
  • Receiving nomination form in Society’s Group Mail.
  • Acceptance of nominations and declare formal acceptance in the Society’s Web Page when nominationwill be closed.
  • Drafting of e-voting or paper voting sheet and publish in Society’s Web Page and send it through Society’s Group Mail.
  • Receive the voting sheet in Election Committee’s Contact Person email: and declare formal acceptance in the Society’s Web Page
  • Announce the results.

None of the Election committee members (ECMs) should be a candidate for any position being contested in an election and cannot be seen to have any affiliation with or show support to any candidate or group of candidates.

  1. Election time table: Election time should not be more than two weeks afterclosing of nomination of candidates and the commencement of the voting period or the AGM if voting is at AGM.
  1. Notice of Election By Election Committee (EC): EC should publish notice of election in effective way so that maximum number of members will be participated in the election.

The notice should:

  • State that an election will be held and identity and details of ECMs.
  • Set the time and date for the close of the roll of eligible members;
  • Invite nominations, listing of position to be contested;
  • Clearly set out any requirements or qualifications required under the constitution to be eligible to contest any position;
  • Advice where nomination forms may be obtained;
  • Specify the place where nominations are to be lodged;
  • Fix the time and date for the close of nominations: and
  • Advice the day(s) and time(s) for e-voting where and how to send it back.
  1. Nomination: A nomination form should require completion of the following information;
  • The position for which candidate is standing;
  • The full name, signature, date, residential address, contact details (home/mobile/email/fax-if available) of the candidate
  • The full name and contact details of nominator and supporter (not applicable for member positions); the nominator and the supporter must be voter members.
  • The candidates written consent to the nomination;
  • Candidate’s Statement of Interest and Commitments.

One candidate only can nominate for one position and can’t be a nominator or a supporter to other candidate. One voter member can either be a nominator or a supporter only for one candidate. The first acceptance shall be valid if it is more. The nomination shall be returned in the Society’s Group Mail.

Only the current renewed member can stand for a candidate. The nominator, supporter and the voter should be a current renewed members.

  1. Withdrawal of nomination: A candidate who has been nominated in an election should be permitted to withdraw that nomination but only in written request to EC in Election Committee’s email, provided that it is to be received to the EC before the close of nominations.
  1. Certification of Nomination: for the purpose of enabling the EC to form an opinion as to the eligibility of a candidate and candidate’s nominator(s)/proposer(s) and supporter as EC may specify. The existing Ad-Hoc Committee (Secretary) should provide the required information, in writing, as soon as practicable after request is made and certainly before nomination close.
  1. Uncontested Elections: if, when nominations close, the numbers of persons who have been duly nominated as candidates for a particular position does not exceed the number to be elected to a position, each of those persons is elected. Any position remaining unfilled should be filled according to SONE - Uk’s constitution.
  1. Contested Elections: if, by the close of nominations, the number of persons who have been nominated as candidates for a position or positions exceeds the number of persons to be elected, then a e-voting must be held for the position(s).
  2. Delivery of Roll of Eligible Voters( final voter list) to EC: As soon practicable after close of nominations, the EC should receive a roll of eligible voting members( voting list) from existing executive committee which shows, in alphabetical order and consecutively numbered of each member entitled to vote. Candidates are entitled to a copy of the roll in order to peruse their candidature.
  1. Forms of E-Ballot/Paper Ballot: A voting form shall be prepared for allseveral positions.

The Voting Form

  • To show the position(s) being contested;
  • To show the names of the candidates contesting each position( in order);
  • May distinguish names from each other where a similarity in the names of two or more candidates is likely to cause confusion;
  • To provide clear and concise direction as to the manner in which vote is to be recorded, having regard to the system of voting required by the constitution; and
  • When and where the form is to be submitted to reach to the EC in time.

13. Advice to members and candidates: EC should ensure that a list of the candidates and the office for which they have nominated, along with other information such as modalities (general, post or e-ballot) the days and hours of voting are informed.

14. Voting:

  • E-Voting: EC will provide the email address where, when and till what time to send the ballot. Only the email address provided by members during their membership registration will be considered as authentic email id for the casting member. The ballot received other than registered email will be invalid. If EC will receive ballot for the same position more than one from same email address then first email received will be considered as right ballot.
  1. Scrutiny and Counting: At the close of the ballot (postal, general or e-voting) the EC is to open each envelopes, e-mail or ballot box which has been determined as acceptable, extract ballot papers check its formality and conduct the count.

In the event that two or more candidates have an equal number of votes and one has to be excluded or one has to be elected, unless the constitution/ Bylaws provides a means of resolution of a tie other than by “ a draw from a hat” the EC will conduct a draw.

  1. Informal Ballot Papers: A ballot paper is generally considered to be informal if it;
  • (except e-voting where elector will identify but information will be remain as confidential).
  1. Persons Present at Scrutiny and Count: The EC, polling officials and scrutineers appointed on behalf of candidates are entitled to be present during scrutiny of ballot papers, issuing of ballot papers and the counting of ballot papers. A scrutiniser is a person appointed by candidate to observe the process on his/her behalf. A scrutiniser is therefore not entitled to assist the EC in counting of ballot as papers. A candidate may not act as a scrutiniser in any of the ballots being contested
  1. Result of Election: once the result of the election has been determined the EC will publish or announce winner with following information
  • The total number of vote caste;
  • The total number of rejected ballots with reason;
  • Numbers of vote received by each candidates;
  • Total number of informal votes
  1. Retention of Materials: All materials related to election will be kept for a month period by EC.