Amar Singh Club holds AGM, approves constitutional changes and social initiatives

Ziraat Times News Desk

Srinagar: The Amar Singh Club, Srinagar, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Sunday, June 29, 2025, during which several landmark decisions were taken, including constitutional amendments, new social initiatives, and financial approvals.

In the absence of the Club’s  President and Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir,  Omar Abdullah, who could not attend due to unforeseen official engagements, the meeting was chaired by Rauf A Punjabi, a member of the Managing Committee. He presided over the proceedings under Article 30(2) of the Club Constitution.

Delivering the welcome address, Nasir Hamid Khan, Secretary of the Club, conveyed the warm regards and best wishes of the  President to the members. The meeting began with a minute of silence in memory of members who passed away during the inter-meeting period, including prominent figures such as Muhammad Shafi Pandit, Devender Singh Rana, Prof Mian Sualeh Mustafa, Er Mohammad Aslam Khan, and Mir Mohammed Hussain Kanth.

Financial growth and infrastructure development

Nasir Hamid Khan reported a significant rise in the Club’s annual revenue—from Rs 86 lakhs in 2019-20 to Rs 4.45 crores in 2024-25. He stated that the Club had paid Rs 1.29 crores in GST, more than doubled its staff strength, and invested heavily in infrastructure development and asset restoration. Former secretaries Er Mian Mushtaq, Mr. Rouf Fazili, and Er Showkat Ahmed Shahdad were acknowledged for their contributions.

Social engagement and membership updates

The Secretary highlighted the success of the Club’s initiative, ‘Common Interest Conversations’, which addressed pressing societal issues such as digital addiction, drug abuse, women’s wellness, elder care, and unemployment. He cited the example of G.H. Kango, a retired IFS officer who applied for Club membership at the age of 90—making him the oldest applicant in the Club’s history. The General Body unanimously waived the one-year probation period for him under Article 10(2) of the Constitution.

Resolutions passed

The audited accounts for FY 2023–24 were unanimously approved. The General Body also ratified several amendments to the Club Constitution, including:

• Revision of total membership cap (Article 8(i))

• Approval mechanism for General Body minutes (Article 40(v))

• Revision of admission fees and categories

A new membership category for single women was introduced on nominal charges, receiving unanimous approval after detailed discussions.

Marriage support corpus fund

A proposal by Bilal Ahmed Dar to create a corpus fund for underprivileged girls’ marriage support received strong support. He recommended that members be charged 50% of notified rates for marriages of both sons and daughters and that 10% of all Club income from banqueting be set aside for this fund. The proposal was approved in toto.

Term limit resolution

A major constitutional change was initiated by Senior Advocate Jehangir Iqbal Ganie, who moved a resolution under Article 61 seeking the deletion of Article 20(4), which previously barred Managing Committee members from contesting elections after two consecutive terms. Ganie argued that the clause restricted democratic rights. The motion was supported by members including Showkat A Zargar, Mustaq A Wani, Ritu Kapoor, and others. Ritu Kapoor proposed and Mustaq A Wani seconded the resolution, which was unanimously approved by the General Body.

Closing remarks

Chair Rauf A Punjabi thanked members for their active participation and vibrant discussions. The Secretary concluded the session with a vote of thanks, marking the AGM as a significant moment in the Club’s evolving governance and community outreach.