GENERAL GUIDELINES

 Background

 This form is intended for valid Members of the Cooke Town Residents Association (CTRA/ Association) who wish to submit their nomination for election to the Executive Committee in accordance with the Association’s Bye Laws.

 Please note that Executive Committee comprises of persons with the following designations:
1.         President – 1 Post
2.         Vice-President – 1 Post
3.         Secretary – 1 Post
4.         Joint Secretary – 1 Post
5.         Treasurer – 1 Post
6.         Committee Members – 6 Members

Eligibility criteria

1.   A member who wishes to contest for a specific post on the Executive Committee shall be eligible to contest an election if they:
a.                  are in good standing and have no arrears of membership dues as on the date of nomination;
b.                  are of sound mind and not declared legally incapacitated by any competent authority;
c.                  have not been convicted of any offence involving moral turpitude or criminal misconduct; and
d.                  do not have any direct financial or material conflict of interest in relation to the affairs or contracts of the Association.

2.  Each nomination must be proposed by two (2) eligible Members of the Association, who shall provide their full names, membership numbers, and signatures in support of the nomination.

Deadline for filing of nomination

The completed nomination form must be submitted no later than 5.00 pm on the day preceding the Annual General Meeting (AGM) at which the election is to be held. Nominations submitted after the deadline will be deemed invalid and rejected. Similarly, previously submitted nominations may be withdrawn no later than 5:00 PM on the day preceding the AGM. Candidates are encouraged to submit their nomination as early as possible and not wait for stipulated deadline to facilitate quick scrutiny and updating of the candidature on the website of the Association.

Nomination forms shall be submitted either in sealed covers or electronically by e-mail. The physical, duly completed, nomination forms shall be deposited with the Returning Officer, Gerald Manoharan whose residence is situated at SamaRia, No. 13, 3rd Cross D’Costa Square, Wheeler Road Extension, Bangalore – 560 084. Please note that the nomination forms should be dropped into the post box which is placed beside the main gate of the residence. After depositing the envelope, please send an email to cooketown@outlook.com confirming that the nomination has been dropped off or handed over to the Returning Officer.

For those submitting the nomination forms electronically, please ensure that the form is completed in its entirety, printed, duly signed, scanned and mailed in PDF format to cooketown@outlook.com. Please note that all the pages must be completed and scanned properly, failing which the said nomination form will be considered invalid. 

Instructions:

 1. Candidates are requested to fill in this application carefully. All fields are mandatory.
2. Please enclose along with this application duly self-attested copies of your identity proof (Aadhar card/PAN card) and other required credentials as detailed in this form
3. In case of any queries, please contact President, Secretary, Treasurer, etc.
4. Ensure all personal details requiring amendment to the Member Register are notified to the Secretary

NOMINATION AND CANDIDATE INFORMATION FORM

This section outlines the formal procedures governing the nomination of candidates to the Executive Committee of the Cooke Town Residents Association (CTRA), in accordance with the Association’s Bylaws.

1. Submission of Nomination Forms
   Any eligible member of the Association who intends to contest for a position on the Executive Committee shall be required to complete the prescribed Nomination Form in full, enclosing all mandatory particulars and credentials as specified therein. The completed form must be submitted in a sealed envelope addressed to the Secretary, within the stipulated timeline.

2. Deadline for Submission
   All nomination forms must be submitted no later than 5.00 pm on the day preceding the Annual General Meeting (AGM) at which the election is to be held. Nominations submitted after the deadline will be deemed invalid and rejected. Similarly, previously submitted nominations may be withdrawn no later than 5:00 PM on the day preceding the AGM.

3. Mode of Submission
   Nomination forms shall be submitted either in sealed covers or electronically by e-mail. The physical, duly completed, shall be deposited with the Returning Officer, Gerald Manoharan whose residence is situated at SamaRia, No. 13, 3rd Cross D’Costa Square, Wheeler Road Extension, Bangalore – 560 084. Please note that the nomination forms should be dropped into the post box which is placed beside the main gate of the residence. After depositing the envelope, please send an email to cooketown@outlook.com confirming the same.
   For those submitting the nomination forms electronically, please ensure that the form is completed in its entirety, printed, duly signed, scanned and mailed in PDF format to cooketown@outlook.com. Please note that all the pages must be completed and scanned properly, failing which the said nomination form will be considered invalid. 

4. Mandatory Contents of the Nomination Form
   Each Nomination Form shall contain the following details, which may be amended or supplemented by the Executive Committee from time to time:

   • Full name of the nominee;

   • Age;

   • Residential address;

   • Contact number and email address;

   • Name, address, contact details of two proposers supporting the nomination, both of whom must be eligible voting members of the Association;

   • The specific office for which the nomination is submitted (e.g., President, Secretary, EC Member, etc.)

5. Scrutiny of Nominations
   Upon receipt, all nomination forms shall be subjected to a process of scrutiny by the Returning Officer, who shall verify the completeness, accuracy, and eligibility of the submissions. The Returning Officer shall have the exclusive authority and discretion to accept or reject any nomination found to be incomplete, inaccurate, ineligible, or otherwise non-compliant with the rules of the Association.

6. Publication of Valid Nominations
   The final list of validly nominated candidates shall be published and circulated to all members of the Association via official communication channels, including but not limited to the website, email, notice boards, or registered social media platforms, following completion of the scrutiny process.

7. Withdrawal of Nominations
   A candidate who has submitted a valid nomination may withdraw their candidature by sending a written request to the Returning Officer, either via email to cooketown@outlook.com or by physically depositing a hard copy of the withdrawal in writing (address: SamaRia, No. 13, 3rd Cross D’Costa Square, Wheeler Road Extension, Bangalore – 560 084), no later than 5pm on August 29th, 2025. No withdrawals shall be permitted beyond the prescribed time.

8. Unopposed Elections
   In the event that only one valid nomination is received for a particular post and the nominee consents to serve in that role, the Returning Officer shall declare the candidate as elected unopposed, and no voting shall be required for that post.

   ELECTION PROCESS AND VOTING GUIDELINES

This section outlines the formal procedure for conducting elections to the Executive Committee of the Cooke Town Residents Association (CTRA). The election process shall be conducted under the supervision and authority of the Returning Officer, who is entrusted with the impartial and efficient administration of the electoral proceedings, in accordance with the Association's Bye-laws.

1. Conduct of Election Proceedings
   The Returning Officer shall be responsible for conducting the election process at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). The Returning Officer shall call the meeting to order, ensure orderly seating of Members, and maintain decorum throughout the proceedings.

2. Declaration of Unopposed Candidates
   Prior to the commencement of voting, the Returning Officer shall announce the names of those Members who have been elected unopposed, having received no opposing nominations for their respective offices. Such candidates shall be declared elected unanimously, subject to confirmation of eligibility.

3. Announcement of Valid Nominees
   For posts that are contested, the Returning Officer shall announce the names of all valid nominees, along with the office for which they are contesting. This information shall be made available to all Members present at the meeting.

4. Management of Proxy Votes Submission and Scrutiny
   All duly executed proxy forms, submitted to the Secretary at least seven (7) days prior to the scheduled meeting, shall be handed over to the Returning Officer for verification. The proxy forms may be submitted at the registered office of the Association, No. 19, Lewis Road, Cooke Town, Bangalore – 560 005 (next to State Bank of India, Cooke Town Branch), or those submitting the proxy forms electronically, should ensure that that the form is completed in its entirety, printed, duly signed, scanned and mailed in PDF format to cooketown@outlook.com.

5. Conditions Governing Proxy

   • A proxy may only be appointed in favour of another eligible Member of the Association.

   • No individual Member shall act as proxy for more than ten (10) Members.

   • Invalid, incomplete, or improperly submitted proxy forms shall be rejected.

6. Candidate Address (Optional)
The Returning Officer may, at his/her discretion, permit each nominee to briefly address the General Body. The purpose of this address shall be limited to presenting their credentials and vision. This provision is discretionary and not mandatory.

7. Separate Voting for Each Office
The election for each office of the Executive Committee shall be conducted separately. Members shall cast distinct votes for each individual office (e.g., President, Secretary, EC Member), in accordance with the prescribed procedures.

8. Voting Methodology

a.                   For Offices with Two (2) or Fewer Contestants

At the discretion of the Returning Officer, elections may be conducted either:

i.                    By a show of hands, or

ii.                  Through ballot papers or any other method deemed appropriate.

In all cases, the number of votes (including valid proxy votes) cast for each candidate shall be accurately recorded.

b.                  For Offices with More Than Two (2) Contestants

The election shall be conducted through a secret ballot. The following rules shall apply:

i.                    Ballot papers in physical or electronic format, shall list the names of all contestants and the specific office being contested.

ii.                  Each Member shall cast only one vote per office.

iii.                Multiple votes cast for a single office shall render the ballot invalid for that office.

iv.                The Returning Officer shall explain the format and layout of the ballot paper or the electronic voting format before voting begins to prevent invalid markings.

v.                  Alternate voting methods such as electronic or computer-based voting may be employed, subject to feasibility.

9. Counting of Votes and Declaration of Results

i.                    Upon conclusion of the voting process, all votes shall be counted by two (2) scrutinizers appointed by the Returning Officer.

ii.                  The scrutinizers shall verify the count and report the results to the Returning Officer.

iii.                The candidate who secures the highest number of valid votes for each respective office shall be declared elected to that position.

10. Tie-Breaking Procedure
In the event of a tie between two or more candidates for a single office, the Returning Officer shall declare the need for a fresh round of voting limited to the tied candidates only. The process shall be conducted immediately, following the same voting and counting procedures.

11. Preservation of Election Records
Upon completion of the election process, the Returning Officer shall return all ballot papers, nomination forms, proxy forms, and other related documents to the Secretary of the Association, who shall retain them for record-keeping and audit purposes, in accordance with the rules of the Association.

 CODE OF CONDUCT

This section outlines the formal Code of Conduct for Candidates contesting elections for the Executive Committee of the Cooke Town Residents Association (CTRA) in accordance with the Association's Bye-laws.

I.  Decorum and Order in Electoral Conduct

1. All candidates contesting elections to the Executive Committee of the Cooke Town Residents Association (CTRA) shall conduct themselves with the utmost decorum, discipline, and mutual respect throughout the electoral process, including during nomination, interaction with Members, and participation in the Annual General Meeting (AGM) or any other electoral forum.

2. Candidates shall refrain from engaging in disruptive behaviour, personal attacks, defamatory remarks, or character assassination of other candidates or Members, any conduct or communication that undermines the dignity, objectives, or orderly functioning of the Association.

3. The Returning Officer shall have the authority to issue warnings, recommend disqualification, or report violations of this provision to the Executive Committee, subject to the Bylaws of the Association.

4. Candidates must uphold the values of integrity, transparency, and fairness throughout the election process.

5. Election campaigning amongst Members is only permitted via personal communications, one-on-one meetings. Telephone reach is permitted. Creating broadcasting groups on any form of social media group is not permitted. Canvassing for candidature of self or of others by setting up a page, handle or similar identifiable link on any social media platform, including WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Twitter is not acceptable. Similarly, if a person, who is not a candidate, but is using any of the above platforms for the benefit of a particular person/ candidate or a group of persons is also not permitted and such violations, when brought to the notice of the Returning Officer or on receipt of a complaint from any Member will be entitled to summary dismissal from contesting in the election. 

6. Campaigning must be respectful and issue-based. Personal attacks, hate speech, or communal appeals are strictly prohibited. No candidate shall distribute false or misleading information about other candidates.

7. Any attempt to circulate misinformation, misrepresent facts, or bypass official channels shall be deemed a violation of this Code and may result in disciplinary action, including disqualification from contesting.