Code of Conduct
General Elections
2024
Table of Content

PART I: Definations

  • EC: Election Commission

  • CoC: Code of Conduct

  • Candidate: Any person who expresses their intent to contest in the election for any posts of the Students’ Gymkhana by filing their nomination to the posts

  • General Body Member: Any registered student who is registered in a degree program and has a right to vote in the elections shall be considered a General Body Member, referred to as GBM hereafter

  • Campaigner: Any person who consents to canvass support and solicit votes for a candidate in the elections through the procedures prescribed by the EC shall be considered a campaigner of the candidate

  • Proposers: Proposers are those who formally suggest the name of a candidate

  • Seconders: Seconders are those who sign as the supporters of the proposer and his proposed candidate

    Proposers and seconders can campaign with the candidate(discuss points and endorse them in public) during the campaign

  • Office Bearers: All incumbent/incoming/previous Executives of the Students’ Gymkhana or Chairperson, Students’ Senate, conveners of the standing councils/committees of the Students’ Senate. Core-Team members, ex-core members, coordinators of Counselling Service and members of the Students’ Placement Office.

  • Holders of Positions of Responsibility (PoR): Anyone holding a PoR recognised by the Students’ Senate with access to official machinery.

  • Sympathizer: TAny person who expresses their support for a candidate in any form shall be considered a sympathizer of a candidate. Any question of whether a GBM is a sympathizer of a candidate shall be decided by the Election Commission

  • CEO: Chief Election Officer of the Election Commission

  • Anti-campaigning: An act of anti-campaigning shall consist of but is not limited to:

    1. Any act of criticizing any candidate by means other than those authorized by the EC.
    2. Any act of criticizing a candidate based on their private life, which is not connected with their public activities as a holder of a position of responsibility or otherwise.
    3. Any act of soliciting votes against any candidate.

PART II: Rules Governing the Election Commission

  1. Any action prescribed by the Code of Conduct for the Election Commission shall be taken by the CEO.

  2. The CEO may assign any representative of the EC to carry out a particular set of duties on behalf of the CEO.

PART III: General Conduct

  1. Adherence to time limits: Any GBM, in general, and candidates, in particular, must strictly adhere to the time limits provided by the EC for any activity.

  2. Abstinence from the usage of liquor, drugs, tobacco or associated products for election purposes:Any GBM, candidate or otherwise, shall abstain from serving, distributing or accepting liquor, drugs, tobacco or any associated product for canvassing support in favor or against a candidate. Strict action shall be taken against any person found in violation of this rule above and beyond those prescribed by the institute guidelines for usage of the same

  3. Anti-campaigning in any form by any GBM, candidate or otherwise, is strictly prohibited.

  4. Prohibition on Collusion: Collusion is strictly prohibited. No candidate or their campaigner shall express their support towards or endorse any other candidate. The candidate(s), or their campaigner(s), must not be found in any sort of discussion with any other candidate(s) (or their campaigners) during the duration of the electoral process. Also, any act encouraging collusion by any GBM/candidate/proposer/seconder/sympathiser is prohibited.

  5. Abstinence from organizing public gatherings:

    1. Public gatherings may be called/organized during the electoral process only with permission from the EC prior to the event. Any public gatherings for which permission has not been obtained shall be counted against the spirit of the elections, and proper disciplinary action shall be taken against the organizers.

    2. Any representative of the EC shall be allowed to visit or attend any public gathering for which permission has been obtained from the EC.

    3. Any public gathering for which permission has been obtained shall not involve the solicitation of votes in favour of or against any candidate.

    4. The EC may cancel any such permission granted for a public gathering. On cancellation of such permission, the public gathering shall come to an end immediately. Any representative of the EC may enforce such immediate action.

  6. Organizing Gymkhana and Hall Activities:

    1. All Gymkhana and Hall activities shall normally remain suspended during the electoral process. However, activities may be organized during the electoral process after obtaining permission from the EC.

    2. No candidate, proposer, seconder or campaigner shall participate in any such activity, even if the activity has been allowed by the EC.

    3. Any representative of the EC shall be allowed to visit or attend any such activity for which permission has been obtained from the EC.

    4. Any such activity for which permission has been obtained shall not involve the canvassing of support in favour of or against any candidate.

    5. The EC may cancel any such permission granted for an activity. On cancellation of such permission, the activity shall come to an end immediately. Any representative of the EC may enforce such immediate action.

  7. Attempt to Encourage Differences: No GBM in general, and candidate, in particular, shall indulge in or abet any activity which may create differences or aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between any group(s) of students.

  8. Appeal to Communal sentiments: No GBM in general, and candidate in particular, shall make use of religious, regional, linguistic, communal or caste-based sentiments, identities, groups or institutions to canvass support or solicit votes in favour of or against any candidate.

  9. Complaint Registration: All complaints shall be made as soon as possible, in writing, by email or via the Complaint Portal developed by EC. Any decision on the complaints shall be taken by the EC.

  10. Use of External Influence: No GBM in general, and candidate in particular, shall make use of any person or group of persons or institution that is not a part of the General Body to solicit votes in favour of or against any candidate or to influence the elections in any form.

  11. Relieving Positions of Responsibility: Any candidate or campaigner who holds a position of responsibility in the Students’ Gymkhana shall be temporarily relieved from their duties so that those responsibilities do not interfere with the electoral procedure.

  12. Usage of Position of Responsibility: No GBM, in general, and candidates, in particular, shall use their position of responsibility to canvass support in favour of or against any candidate.

  13. The Election Commission shall take a decision in case of any dispute connected with the elections before counting commences. The EC may, under appropriate circumstances, enforce measures like cancellation of the nomination of a candidate.

  14. All complaints should be made to the EC before counting commences. Complaints related to the elections shall not be entertained after the counting of votes commences.

  15. The Election Commission may take appropriate action on any action of a GBM that occurred before the enforcement of the CoC, which violates the spirit of the electoral process as outlined by the CoC.

  16. Any election-related activity that is not prescribed by EC is actionable.

PART IV: Rules Related to Office Bearers

  1. Unethical use of Official Position: All Office Bearers shall ensure that no cause is given for any complaint regarding the use of their official position for the purposes of the election campaign.

  2. Any office-bearer cannot support or criticise any candidate, publicly or privately, in their official capacity or otherwise.

  3. The office-bearers shall not enter any polling station or place of counting except in their capacity as a voter or an authorized representative of the EC.

  4. A Member of the Hall Executive Committee (HEC) or a similar body at the Hall Level, members of the Students’ Placement Office, or Position holders of Festivals may become a proposer/seconder/campaigner of a candidate only after temporarily relieving themselves of the respective positions of responsibility for the campaigning period.

APPENDIX I

  • SECTION I: Nomination Process

    1. Any GBM may file a nomination for a position if they satisfy the Eligibility Criteria for that position (as described under APPENDIX F of the Constitution of the Students’ Gymkhana).

    2. Every candidate for the post of an Executive shall have to be

      1. proposed by two GBMs and
      2. seconded by five GBMs
      while filing their nomination. In addition, the candidate needs to appoint one GBM as their campaign manager, who shall also be answerable to the EC on issues related to the moderation and regulation of the candidate's campaign.

    3. Every candidate for the post of Senator shall have to be,

      1. proposed by one GBM, and
      2. seconded by two GBMs,
      while filing their nomination.

    4. Only a person belonging to the corresponding electorate, as that of a candidate, may propose or second the candidate or be a campaigner or a campaign manager of a candidate.

    5. The proposer, seconders and campaign managers of a candidate are, by default, considered to be campaigners of the candidate.

    6. No student can be a campaigner for more than one candidate.

    7. A candidate cannot propose or second themself or any other candidate contesting the elections for any post.

    8. A candidate cannot appoint themselves as their own campaign managers.

    9. Any proposer, seconder, campaign manager or campaigner must submit their consent to be the same by the procedure prescribed by the EC.

    10. Candidates shall be accompanied by their proposers, seconders and campaign managers during the verification of nomination.

    11. Candidates and their proposers/seconders/campaign managers/campaigners must present their institute identity cards and submit their consent and any relevant documents, as specified by the EC, at the time of verification of nomination.

    12. A member of the EC shall not be a campaigner for any candidate or contest elections for any post.

    13. Request for withdrawal of nomination, if any, shall be made by the candidates, in writing, to the EC during the period specified by the EC for the same.

    14. The EC shall announce the final list of candidates after the completion of the procedure of re-nominations if needed.

    15. A manifesto must be submitted by a candidate, by the procedure specified by the EC, at the time specified by the EC for the same. Blank manifestos shall not be allowed.

    16. Failing to follow any of the above guidelines may lead to the cancellation of the candidature and appropriate disciplinary action.

  • SECTION II: Re-nominations Process

    1. Re-nominations shall be called if the number of valid nominations filed for a position is less than the number of positions for which nominations have been called.

    2. All the rules related to the nomination process apply to the renomination process as well.

    3. No nominations shall be filed after the period for re-nominations has ended.

  • SECTION III: Rules related to Campaigning

    1. Campaigning or canvassing support for a candidate, before and after the time prescribed by the EC for the same, by any candidates, campaigners, sympathizers or GBM is not permitted.

    2. All GBMs in general, and candidates in particular, shall be prohibited from indulging or abetting any corrupt practices and offences, such as bribing of voters, intimidation of voters, use of propaganda and/or campaigning at public restricted places and transport and conveyance/persuasions of voters to and from the polling stations.

    3. The manifesto, finally approved by the EC, shall be strictly adhered to while campaigning. Deviations from the manifesto are not allowed during campaigning or any other means of campaigning allowed by the EC.

    4. Criticism of any candidate by any GBM, when made, shall be confined to the manifesto of the candidate or any proven action of the candidate in relation to a position of responsibility held by the candidate.

    5. A candidate can not use posters, banners or any other tangible means of campaigning except for the printed copies of the manifestos, verified and authorized by the EC. Any exception to this rule shall be made at the discretion of the EC.

    6. Campaigning is not allowed in public places like the Messes, Hall Canteens, Reading Rooms, Hall CC, TV Rooms or any other common rooms and areas of the Hall except when explicitly allowed by the EC.

    7. Every candidate can make a video talking about their manifesto and agenda.

    8. No candidate or its campaigners shall be permitted to carry out any processions.

    9. Candidates may be allowed to organize public meeting(s) according to the rules specified in the CoC.

    10. A candidate shall refrain from wandering around for election purposes during the blackout period unless explicitly allowed by the CEO.

    11. Campaigners or sympathizers of one candidate shall not create disturbances at public events organized for another candidate.

    12. Any form of campaigning other than that allowed by the EC is not permitted.

    13. A GBM, in general, and a candidate, in particular, shall not make use of official machinery for campaigning or soliciting votes.

    14. A candidate or their campaigners shall invariably seek the assistance of the EC for dealing with people disturbing campaigning or otherwise attempting to create disorder. Candidates/campaigners shall not take action against such persons by themselves.

    15. The candidate shall give information in advance to the EC of the schedule for campaigning to allow the EC to make the necessary arrangements. The schedule shall contain the time and place of the campaigning and the campaigners accompanying them. Ordinarily, there shall be no deviation from the program.

    16. Strict disciplinary action may be taken by the EC if it is found that efforts have been made to conceal a campaigner.

    17. If any campaigner performs any act which violates the rules of the CoC, the candidate, of which the person is a campaigner, shall be equally liable as the person who has violated the CoC. Campaigners are the candidate's responsibility at all times.

    18. If the total number of campaigners for the executive/senator post is found to be extraordinarily high, then the EC may ask the candidate with more campaigners to lower their number.

    19. Any GBM may file complaints in writing to the EC against any candidate(s) not conforming to the norms of the election process.

  • SECTION IV: Rules for Campaigning

    1. Use of Videos and Posters:

      1. A candidate may make videos or posters regarding any issues concerning the student body. The video or poster shall have to be approved by the EC and shall be posted only by the EC from its official social media account. The candidate shall take care of the rules governing elections while making such a video or poster.

      2. A candidate may make videos or posters discussing their manifesto. The video or poster shall have to be approved by the EC and shall be posted only by the EC from its official social media account. The candidate shall take care of the rules governing elections while making such a video or poster.

      3. The duration of such a video, as mentioned above, shall not exceed 2 minutes. Such a video shall feature only the candidate, shall have a plain background, and shall not consist of any special effects.

      4. The video or poster shall not be aimed at criticizing another candidate or soliciting votes against another candidate.

    2. The academic area shall be kept free from any kind of campaigning.

    3. Institute facilities (like institute Emails facility, etc.) and hall properties (including any common area of the Hall) shall not be used for campaigning.

    4. Candidates must only campaign during the campaigning period as specified by the EC.

    5. A sympathizer or campaigner must not canvass support or solicit votes for a candidate in the absence of that candidate.

    6. Physical campaigning is allowed only in the Halls of Residence, except for the public meetings allowed by the EC. For all practical purposes, the Halls of Residence shall include any other such residence provided by the institute to any GBM.

    7. Campaigning shall normally be limited to a wing-to-wing basis, i.e., candidates may address a group of GBM only in a wing of a Hall of Residence. Only the campaigners of the candidate may accompany the candidate for this purpose.

    8. Any candidate shall not meet with or address a gathering of more than the specified limit of GBMs in one instance. This limit shall be 60 GBMs in case of a candidate for an executive post and 30 GBMs in all other cases, including the campaigners of the candidate.

    9. Campaigning shall not be done inside any closed room in general or a room of a GBM in particular.

    10. No GBM shall be forced, in any manner, to attend a campaign of a candidate.

    11. A candidate or their campaigner cannot organize or attend any meeting at any common room or common area of a Hall of Residence or any place outside the Halls of Residence unless explicitly permitted by the EC. A meeting for this purpose shall be considered to be a gathering of four or more people.

    12. Any GBM, other than a campaigner, cannot campaign for a candidate. This also means that a sympathizer of a candidate cannot campaign for the candidate.

    13. The EC must be fully informed of the instruments of campaigning used by a candidate. This includes any publicly distributed copies of the manifesto, candidate and campaigner ID cards issued by the EC, etc. Samples of these must be given to the EC, and consent must be obtained before any such material is distributed. Any document used for campaigning must be duly stamped by the Election Commission before distribution.

    14. An instrument of campaigning that is not stamped by the EC must not be used for campaigning.

    15. All instruments of campaigning shall be considered a property of the EC, and after the campaigning period ends, all the instruments of campaigning shall be submitted to the EC without fail. Failure to do so may lead to appropriate action against the candidate.

    16. A candidate and campaigner shall wear their ID cards, issued by EC, at all times while campaigning.

    17. The use of loudspeakers, vehicles, and animals for the purpose of canvassing is prohibited.

    18. Conduct on Social Media:

      1. Campaigning/anti-campaigning shall not be done on any social media platform except for the means authorized by the EC.

      2. All GBMs shall abide by the rules of the CoC, in general, in their activity on social media.

    19. The EC may relax these rules at its own discretion if it deems it necessary to do so.

    20. Publicizing any candidate by the use of any means not authorized and approved by EC is not allowed.

  • SECTION V: Rules Governing Public Meetings, SOAP Box and Executive Dialogue

    1. Public Meetings:

      1. Only one public meeting shall be organised by a candidate in the OAT, New SAC.

      2. Only the candidates contesting the elections to an executive post are allowed to organize such a meeting.

      3. The candidate organizing the meeting shall be responsible for its conduct.

      4. All logistics related to such a meeting are to be borne by the candidate and shall be included in their total election expenses.

      5. The maximum duration of such a meeting is one hour.

      6. The timings of such a meeting shall be informed to the EC at least 24 hours in advance. Failing to do so, the meeting shall not be allowed to commence.

      7. There shall be no constraints on the number of people attending such a meeting.

      8. The meeting shall be utilized to discuss the manifesto of a candidate or any other issues faced or questions posed by any GBM.

      9. All the relevant rules pertaining to organizing public gatherings, as specified in Point 5 of Part III, shall apply here.

    2. SOAP BOX:

      1. SOAP BOX shall be organized by the EC where the candidates shall discuss their manifestos and address questions from the audience.

      2. SOAP BOX shall be organized for all of the positions on which polling is to be conducted.

      3. The SOAP BOX shall be organized at multiple locations and shall be open to the General Body.

    3. Executive Dialogue And Debate:

      1. Executive Dialogue And Debate (EDAD hereafter) shall be organized by the EC.

      2. EDAD shall be organized only for the candidates contesting the elections for an Executive post.

      3. EDAD shall be moderated by one or more students with prior experience relevant to the post, as decided by the EC.

      4. One EDAD shall be organized for each Executive post, and all candidates contesting for that post must participate in it.

      5. An EDAD shall consist of two parts:

        1. Executive Dialogue: In this, the moderator shall ask the candidates questions in relation to their manifestos.
        2. Executive Debate: In this, the candidates shall be allowed to ask questions to other candidates in relation to their manifestos, moderated by the appointed moderator(s).

      6. All EDAD shall be live-streamed online from the social media page of EC.

  • SECTION VI: Rules for Envelope Voting

    1. If a GBM is absent from the campus on the polling day, they may cast their vote by envelope voting during the period prescribed by EC.

    2. Only Closed Ballots could be cast in the envelope voting.

    3. No member of the electorate who casts an envelope vote shall be found present near the polling booths on the day of regular polling.

    4. Envelope voting shall be permitted according to the timings announced by the EC. The EC shall inform the detailed procedure prior to the scheduled start of the envelope voting period. The votes shall be cast in a closed ballot form for the same.

  • SECTION VII: Voting Guidelines

    1. The Election Commission may avail the services of as many student volunteers as required for organizing the polling process. All such volunteers must be considered members of the EC for all cases of violation of the CoC.

    2. A list of voters shall be available with the EC at the time of polling.

    3. All candidates shall cooperate with the members of the EC on election duty to ensure peaceful and orderly polling and complete freedom for the voters to exercise their franchise without being subjected to any annoyance or obstruction.

    4. Voters may cast their votes at the polling station during the prescribed hours. The list of polling stations corresponding to each hall of residence and other residential premises shall be mailed to the General Body.

    5. One or more members of the Election Commission shall be present at the polling station as the polling officer(s). During the polling operations, if a situation requires, the polling officer shall take a procedural decision after informing the EC.

    6. No one except the voters, members of the EC and any security personnel appointed by the EC shall enter the polling stations. Once voters have voted, they are not allowed to be present in the vicinity of the polling booth.

    7. There may be poll observers appointed by the EC, to whom any complaints regarding elections may be reported or submitted. Complaints may also be reported to any member of the EC. Poll observers shall be treated as members of the EC for all cases of violation of the CoC.

    8. Any complaints reported to any poll observer or member of the EC shall be formally brought to the notice of the EC. Any attempt to hide any complaints or obstruct their conveyance to the EC is punishable.

    9. After the polling, the instruments used for polling shall be placed in the custody of the Chief Election Officer under the supervision of a representative of the Grievances Redressal Committee.

    10. The Chief Election Officer shall invite one representative of the candidate as an observer for the counting. The Grievances Redressal Committee shall be invited to supervise the counting.

    11. The Chief Election Officer shall then declare the results after the counting is over.

    12. In the case of a tie, a lottery shall be used as a tie-breaker. The lottery shall be done in the presence of all the candidates who are tied. Rules of the lottery shall be discussed with the above candidates, and the lottery shall proceed with their consent on the rules of the lottery.

    13. Results shall be declared in accordance with the Constitutional provisions. The EC is accountable to the Students’ Senate in this regard.

APPENDIX II

  1. SECTION I: Rules of Testimony, Interrogation, and Discussion of Charges

    1. The EC may summon any GBM if the EC feels that the GBM’s views are important in relation to the case of violation of the CoC before the EC.

    2. On any such summon, the GBM shall appear before the EC as soon as possible.

    3. The EC may ask a GBM to appear before the EC immediately if the EC deems it necessary under special circumstances.

    4. If the GBM is unable to appear before the EC, they shall inform the EC about the same, with appropriate proof of the reason for their absence, as soon as possible. In case of any ambiguity, the genuineness of the case shall be decided upon by the EC. If no genuine reason is found, the EC may take appropriate action against the GBM.

    5. The EC shall specify the procedure of testimony, interrogation, and discussion of charges and conduct during the process.

    6. The EC may assign a representative of the EC to take testimony, interrogate and discuss charges with a GBM. In any such situation, the GBM shall cooperate with the representative.

    7. Fake testimony, including but not limited to misleading, hiding and lying, shall be taken seriously by EC, and suo moto recognition will be taken by the CEO as per the case.

  2. SECTION II: Penalty for Violation of Rules

    1. The election commission may make independent decisions in case of any dispute related to the election. This decision is final and may be challenged only by filing an appeal with the Grievances Redressal Committee.

    2. If any of the students are involved in the violation of the CoC, then the following action may be taken against them:

      1. For Candidates

        • Level 1: Deduction of 6 hrs in campaigning period and/or Fine up to INR 500
        • Level 2: Deduction of 12 hrs in campaigning period and/or Fine up to INR 1000
        • Level 3: Deduction of 24 hrs in campaigning period and/or Fine up to INR 2000
        • Level 4: Cancellation of nomination (may only be decided by the CEO in consultation with the managers of EC)
        • Level 5: Cancellation of nomination and case reported to SSAC (may only be decided by the CEO in consultation with the managers of EC)

      2. For General Body Members

        • Level 0: Warning issued
        • Level 1: Fine up to INR 500
        • Level 2: Fine up to INR 1000
        • Level 3: Fine up to INR 2000
        • Level 4: Case reported to SSAC for disciplinary action

      3. For Office Bearers of Students’ Gymkhana and Students’ Senate, Members of the Hall Executive Committee (HEC) or a similar body at the Hall Level, Members of the Election Commission, Members of the Counseling Service, Students’ Placement Office and any other position of responsibility holders

        • Level 1: Fine up to INR 1000
        • Level 2: Fine up to INR 2000
        • Level 3: Case reported to SSAC and the concerned higher authority as applicable

    3. General Guidelines for the imposition of penalty:

      • Repetition of violations may result in increased severity of action against the perpetrators.
      • The level of penalty on an offence depends on the seriousness of the offence, the intent behind the offence and previous infractions.
      • The circumstances for the imposition of a fine shall be disclosed only on the floor of the Students’ Senate, if solicited, and to the GRC if solicited.
      • The penalty need not be imposed in the order mentioned above i.e. it may be imposed in any order, at the discretion of the EC. The same level of penalty may be imposed on a person more than once.

APPENDIX III

  1. SECTION I: Provisions for the GRC (Grievances Redressal Committee)

    1. The Grievances Redressal Committee (henceforth GRC) for Gymkhana Elections shall consist of two faculty members and three nominees of the Students’ Senate. The Convener of the committee shall be a Faculty Member.

    2. Any GBM (other than a member of the GRC) may file any complaints related to elections with the GRC within 24 hours from the end of polling. No complaints shall be considered by the GRC once the counting of votes has commenced.

    3. The GRC shall act on all complaints within 24 hours after they are received by either dismissing them or accepting the complaint.

    4. If the committee accepts the complaint, then the GRC shall normally give its decision within an additional window of 48 hours, and the written decision shall be communicated to the affected parties by the student members of the GRC. The written opinion must set forth the findings of facts by the GRC and the conclusions of the law in support of it.

    5. Any complaint against the Election Commission shall be taken into priority, and any decision on the complaint has to be taken within 24 hours of filing of the complaint.

    6. At the time when notice of hearing is issued, the GRC, by majority vote, may issue a temporary restraining order if it determines that such action is necessary to prevent undue or adverse effects on any individual or entity. The result shall not be declared as long as the restraining order remains in force. Any restraining order, once issued, shall remain in effect until a decision of the GRC is announced after the hearing or until rescinded by the GRC.

    7. For any hearing, at least half of all the sitting GRC members must be in attendance.

    8. Due to the confidentiality of the proceedings, members of the GRC shall not be allowed to send nominees.

    9. The GRC shall only conduct its investigations in relation to the complaints it has received.

    10. The GRC shall have the right to summon any GBM for the purpose of investigation.

    11. The procedure for testimony or interrogation of any GBM summoned before the GRC shall be decided by the GRC.

    12. In the event it finds evidence incriminating another individual(s) during the course of the investigation, the individual(s) and the Election Commission are to be notified if the GRC feels that malpractices shall be investigated. The 48-hour timeframe shall not be increased for this new investigation i.e. the previous 48-hour window of the previous investigation shall apply to this investigation as well.

    13. The complainant and defendant shall be given equal opportunities to present their case in front of the GRC.

    14. Written testimonies, testimonies of witnesses in front of the committee, and video evidence may be considered as evidence after their credibility has been established. Audio recordings where the person who did the recording or is a part of the recording testifies in favour of the evidence which is recorded may also be considered as evidence.

    15. To effectuate this purpose, the following rules shall prevail at all hearings:

      • The complaining party shall bear the burden of proof.
      • Decisions, orders, and rulings of the GRC must be concurred to by a majority of the GRC members present and shall be announced as soon as possible after the hearing.
  2. SECTION II: Appeals against the Decisions by GRC

    1. The Appellate Committee for Gymkhana Elections shall consist of the Dean (Students’ Affairs) and two student members nominated by the Students’ Senate.

    2. Any party adversely affected by a decision of the GRC may file an appeal with the Appellate committee within 12 hours after the decision is announced.

    3. For any hearing, all sitting Appellate Committee members must be in attendance.

    4. The Appellate Committee shall have discretionary appellate jurisdiction over the GRC in all cases in which error on the part of the GRC is charged i.e. it shall have the authority to investigate any lapses in the proceedings of the GRC.

    5. The Appellate Committee shall not have the authority to reopen the investigation of the complaint.

    6. The Appellate committee may affirm or overturn the decision of the GRC or modify the sanctions imposed within 24 hours of filing of the appeal.

    7. If the appellate committee believes that the lapses in the investigation by the GRC are severe enough to warrant a re-investigation, then the appellate committee may direct the GRC to conduct a re-investigation.

    8. If the appellate committee believes that the lapses in the decisions of the GRC were due to biases on the part of members of the GRC, the appellate committee may reconstitute the GRC as per the constitution previously mentioned in this document. There must be sufficient proof of the bias, and the proof shall be submitted to the director in writing before reconstituting the GRC.

    9. If the GRC has been directed by the appellate committee to conduct a re-investigation, the decision of the GRC, in this case, shall be final.

    10. The decision of the GRC shall stand and shall have full effect until the appeal is heard and decided by the Appellate Committee unless the decision of the GRC has been put on hold by the Appellate Committee.

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