A – Your Various Organisational Boards
(1) The Central Committee
The purodhás of Ananda Marga will elect the members of the Central Committee from among themselves. The purodhá pramukha will be the ex-officio president of the Central Committee. The highest number of members of the Central Committee will be sixty and the lowest number will be fifteen.
In case 80 per cent of the members of the Central Committee so desire, the number of the Central Committee members may exceed sixty.
Usually the purodhá pramukha and the president of the Central Committee will be the same person. But if the purodhá pramukha so desires, he may not function as the president of the Central Committee. In that case, the purodhá pramukha will appoint the president of the Central Committee and will fix the tenure of the new president.
(2) The Central Executive Committee
He (Purodha Pramukha) will constitute the Central Executive Committee according to his choice. If he wishes, he can include in the Central Executive Committee a maximum of three members from outside the Central Committee. The number of the Central Executive Committee members will be decided by the president.
(3) Central Purodhá Board [see “E- Táttvika, Ácárya/á, Purodhá and Their Concerned Boards”]
In the event of any complicated problem or serious controversy in Ananda Marga, the decision of the Central Purodhá Board will be considered supreme. The decision which the members of the Central Purodhá Board arrive at unanimously will be binding on the society. If there is no unanimity among the members of the Board, the decision of the majority will be the Boardʼs decision. If two groups are equal in votes, the single vote of the chairperson will be considered as the vote of the Board. Each and every Ananda Margi must obey the decision of the Purodhá Board without any argument. The chairperson of the Purodhá Board will be designated as the purodhá pramukha. The decision of the purodhá pramukha will be considered correct and final. No one can alter the decision of the purodhá pramukha. But if he considers it necessary, the purodhá pramukha can change his previous decision. The purodhá pramukha will hold his post for life, but he can resign from the post for reasons of ill-health.
The purodhá pramukha will be elected by the votes of the purodhás. The purodhás will also elect the other three members of the Purodhá Board, and their tenure will be five years. If, before the completion of five years, anyone dies or is compelled to resign due to illness, the post will be filled by re-election. If the majority of the purodhás in a vote express dissatisfaction with the work of any member of the Purodhá Board, a re-election can be held for this post, depending on the consent of the purodhá pramukha.
(4) – Avadhúta/iká and Avadhúta Board – [see “F – Avadhúta/iká and Avadhúta Board”]
If it is not possible for anyone to discharge his/her family responsibilities because he/she is completely preoccupied with the propagation of dharma and social service, and if such a person takes formal initiation in sannyása, he/she will be called an avadhúta/iká. The Avadhúta Board will be constituted of four persons elected by the avadhúta/ikás with the approval of the purodhá pramukha. One of the elected members will act as the secretary of this Board. All rules and regulations, punishment, discipline and everything else regarding avadhúta/ikás, will be determined by this Avadhúta Board. The decisions of the Avadhúta Board will be submitted to the purodhá pramukha for final approval. The avadhúta/ikás will obey the purodhá pramukha, and without his approval, the Avadhúta Board will not enforce any decision.
(5) Central Ácárya Board [see “E- Táttvika, Ácárya/á, Purodhá and Their Concerned Boards”]
Subject to the approval of the purodhá pramukha, eight persons elected by the ácárya/ás will constitute the Central Ácárya Board. One of the elected members will be the secretary of this Board. All rules and regulations, punishment, discipline, and everything else regarding ácárya/ás will be decided by the Ácárya Board. The decisions of the Central Ácárya Board will be submitted to the purodhá pramukha for final approval.
(6) Central Táttvika Board [see “E- Táttvika, Ácárya/á, Purodhá and Their Concerned Boards”]
Subject to the approval of the purodhá pramukha, twelve persons elected by the táttvikas will constitute the Central Táttvika Board. One of the elected members will be the secretary of this Board. All rules and regulations, punishment, discipline and everything else regarding táttvikas will be decided by this Central Táttvika Board. The decisions of the Central Táttvika Board will be submitted with the recommendation of the Ácárya Board to the purodhá pramukha for final approval.
(7) The Provincial or State Committee (Committee for State or Country, etc.)
If it be deemed expedient to form a committee higher than the Bhukti Committee and below the Central Committee – for the province, or state, or country – the president of the Central Committee will nominate the chairperson of such a committee. The chairperson will select the members of the concerned Executive Committee. The chairperson will also decide the number of its members and as far as possible will select members from among those who are both ácárya/ás and táttvikas. If such qualified persons are not available in adequate numbers, the chairperson can even select members from among the general Margis. Such a committee will generally be considered as the Executive Committee. But if necessary, a General Committee may be formed with the approval of the president of the Central Committee, after ascertaining from the president the number of General Committee members. This Committee will extend all possible help to the Executive Committee.
Ácárya/ás and táttvikas within the Committeeʼs territorial jurisdiction will elect the Committee members from among themselves. The number of members of this General Committee will be determined [amended] by 80 per cent of the aforesaid members. Where there is an elected General Committee, even when the chairperson of the aforesaid Committee has been nominated by the president, the chairperson will constitute the Executive Committee only from among the members of the General Committee. If, however, qualified persons are not available in sufficient numbers, even persons outside the General Committee can be included in the Executive Committee with the approval of the president of the Central Committee. In case the number of members appointed from outside the General Committee exceeds three, the chairperson will have to obtain the special permission of the president of the Central Committee.
(8) The Bhukti Committee [see “C – Bhukti Pradhána”.]
The Bhukti General Committee will be constituted of representatives elected by the sadvipras from among themselves. It will consist of a maximum of twenty-five and a minimum of fifteen members. With the consent of 80 per cent of the members, the number of members may be raised above twenty-five.
The bhukti pradhána will be the chairperson of the Bhukti General Committee. He/she will also form a Bhukti Executive Committee consisting of his/her chosen members. The number of members of the Bhukti Executive Committee will be determined at the discretion of the bhukti pradhána. A maximum of three members of the Bhukti Executive Committee may be sadvipras who are not members of the Bhukti General Committee; the rest must be members of the Bhukti General Committee.
(9) Upabhukti Committee [see “D – Upabhukti Pramukha”]
The elected upabhukti pramukha will form an Upabhukti Committee with members chosen from among the sadvipras of different parts of the upabhukti. The upabhukti pramukha will decide how many members will constitute the Upabhukti Committee.
(10) The Village Committee
The chairperson of the Bhukti General Committee, or in his/her absence the chairperson of its higher body, or in his/her absence, the president of the Central Committee, will nominate the village organiser. The village organiser will form the village committee according to his/her choice. If the villagers become dissatisfied with the village organiser function, or in the event of his/her demise, the nominating chairperson or president will nominate another organiser who enjoys the confidence of the villagers. A village will have only an Executive Committee. The organiser will decide the number of members of the Village Executive Committee at his/her discretion. Either ácárya/ás or táttvikas or, in their absence, other persons of the Marga, may be nominated as members of the Village Executive Committee.
B – About Boards
Formation of Boards
All the departments and sections of Ánanda Márga Pracáraka Saḿgha (AMPS) have boards from central level to village level to materialise their respective programmes. The total number of boards at the village level is the same as at central level.
The minimum number of members on a board will be three, and the maximum, seven. The members may or may not be highly educated, but must have a developed sense of responsibility. A person cannot be a member of more than one board.
A-Class and B-Class Committees
Committees at the various levels which have formed boards corresponding to all the departments and sections of AMPS will be declared A-class committees. Committees which have formed less than the total number of boards will be declared B-class committees. It will be the duty of the structural workers concerned, and the ISMUB Secretary, to elevate the status of B-class committees to that of A-class committees with the help of all sadvipras.
Lifespan
The lifespan of the committees subordinate to the Central Committee will be decided by the Central Committee. And the lifespan of the Central Committee will be decided by the Central General Body [of all purodhás].
Income
The Village, Upabhukti, Bhukti, and the Provincial or State or National, Committees will each contribute 1/8 of its income to the committee immediately higher than it, and the remaining 7/8 will be spent in its own territory on public welfare and the propagation of dharma. For example, the committee immediately subordinate to the Central Committee will contribute 1/8 of its income to the latter. The Central Committee will utilize this money for the entire universe.
Language
The Central Committee functions will be in English. In the absence of persons knowing English, the work of the District or Village Committee will be carried on in the local language.
Offices
The offices of the committees will be utilized as meeting places of the Margis. The duties of the Central, Bhukti, Upabhukti, and Village Committees will be public service and the propagation of dharma.
Amendments
For the facility of work, the Central Committee can make necessary alterations, additions, and amendments to the rules drawn up above.
C – Bhukti Pradhána
Bhukti means a particular administrative area akin to a district in India or a county in Britain. The Ánanda Márga Pracáraka Saḿgha (AMPS) secretary of such a bhukti will be known as a bhukti pradhána. [Pradhána means “head” or “principal person”.]
Election of Bhukti Pradhána
The sadvipras (those who are well-established in Sixteen Points(1)) of a bhukti must elect one bhukti pradhána from among themselves. The bhukti pradhána may or may not be an ácárya/á or a táttvika, but must be an educated family person. They will hold this post for three years, after which a fresh election will be held.
Duties and Responsibilities of Bhukti Pradhána
In general, the bhukti pradhána is responsible for all items of the ISMUB Department – inspection, seminars, movements, utilization and boards – at the district level. They must also maintain all records of birth, játakarma, marriage, social functions, náráyańa sevá, divorce, death, shráddha and diikśádána.
In addition, the bhukti pradhána should settle petty civil and criminal disputes, authorizing both the prosecution and defence to engage their pleaders. (Any sadvipra well versed in Caryácarya may be a pleader for the purpose.)
They are to maintain the sanctity of all jágrtis, dhvajas [flags], pratiikas and pratikrtis [photos of Márga Guru] with the help of the jágrti secretary and others.
They must maintain the social solidarity of the bhukti by never allowing the individual interest of any person to go against the collective interest, and they may take disciplinary steps against a person (in consultation with their Bhukti Executive Committee) for deviating from the path of Sixteen Points.
They must help with cash, kind, labour and other physical and intellectual power in materializing the different public welfare plans and programmes of Ananda Marga. The bhukti pradhána will maintain proper accounts of all income and expenditure of his/her bhukti.
The purodhá pramukha may increase or decrease the duties or responsibilities of the bhukti pradhána whenever so required with or without consultation of the Central Purodhá Board.
Samájamitram, Smártta, Jiivamitram and Dharmamitram
The bhukti pradhána of any particular sector within whose jurisdiction there is the largest number of A-class Ánanda Márga Pracáraka Saḿgha (AMPS) committees (see “Formation of Boards”), will be known as the samájamitram [friend of society] of that sector for that particular half-year (1st January to Vaeshákhii Púrńimá / Vaeshákhii Púrńimá to 1st January). They (samájamitrams) will be allowed to use the word samájamitram as a prefix to their names until another person of the same sector acquires this respectable rank. A bhukti pradhána retaining the status of samájamitram continuously for two years (four half-years) can permanently prefix the title to his/her name (but this will not be hereditary). A permanent samájamitram can no longer hold the post of bhukti pradhána.
If a bhukti pradhána is an ácárya/á, he/she will use the word smártta [“one who has proved oneʼs social worthiness”] and not samájamitram.
Of the nine samájamitrams, the one having the largest number of A-class committees in the world will be known as jiivamitram [friend of living beings]. A bhukti pradhána retaining the status of jiivamitram continuously for two years (four half-years) will permanently prefix the title to his/her name (but this will not be hereditary). A permanent jiivamitram can no longer hold the post of bhukti pradhána.
If a bhukti pradhána is a grhii [householder] ácárya/á, he or she will use the word dharmamitram and not jiivamitram.
If the samájamitram, smártta, jiivamitram and dharmamitram are males, it is advisable that they do not shave, although this is not compulsory.
The samájamitram and jiivamitram will deserve the same respect in the society as an ácárya/á. For this reason, even if it may seem necessary, no one will be entitled to take any social disciplinary action against them except a purodhá.
D – Upabhukti Pramukha
Where there is a block system both in urban and rural areas, upabhukti means block.
Where there is a block system in rural areas but not in urban areas, upabhukti means (1) block in rural areas; (2) municipal jurisdiction in urban areas. Where a municipal jurisdiction is very big and includes more than one police station, upabhukti means the jurisdiction of one police station.
Where there is no block system either in urban or rural areas, upabhukti means an area having a population of one hundred thousand.
Election of Upabhukti Pramukha
The sadvipras of an upabhukti will elect one upabhukti pramukha from among themselves. The upabhukti pramukha may or may not be an ácárya/á or a táttvika, but must be an educated family person. They will hold this post for a period of three years, after which a fresh election will be held.
Duties and Responsibilities of Upabhukti Pramukha
The role played by the ISMUB Department in the case of bhukti pradhánas will be played by the Social Security Department in the case of upabhukti pramukhas.
The upabhukti pramukha will open as many schools as possible to increase the degree of literacy in the concerned upabhukti, and will develop and maintain a high standard of morality in the upabhukti.
They will endeavour to increase the purchasing power of the local population with the help of Proutists and other sadvipras, and will open as many universal stores as possible to meet the requirements of the local population.
They will endeavour to increase the farm production and industrial production of the upabhukti, and will start the requisite number of medical units and charity homes in the upabhukti in cooperation with the concerned AMPS sections.
The upabhukti pramukha may be included in the Bhukti Executive Committee of their bhukti, but must not hold any portfolio on the Committee.
Sándhivigráhika, Janamitram and Lokamitram
The upabhukti pramukha of any particular region within whose jurisdiction there is the maximum number of functioning producersʼ and consumersʼ cooperatives in any half-year – provided that the percentage of literacy in the upabhukti is more than 25 per cent (although the purodhá pramukha may change this whenever necessary) and nobody in that upabhukti has died of starvation or malnutrition during the concerned half-year – will be known as sándhivigráhika [organizer of service centres]. They will be allowed to use the word sándhivigráhika as a prefix to their names until another person of the same region acquires this respectable rank. An upabhukti pramukha retaining the status of sándhivigráhika continuously for two years (four half-years) will be eligible to prefix the word permanently to his/her name (but this is not hereditary). A permanent sándhivigráhika can no longer hold the post of upabhukti pramukha.
The sándhivigráhika having the largest number of functioning cooperatives in a half-year in his/her jurisdiction within an entire sector is to be known as janamitram [friend of the people]. The rules for the permanent janamitram are the same as those for sándhivigráhika.
Of the janamitrams in the world, the one who has the largest number of functioning cooperatives in a half-year within his/her jurisdiction will be known as lokamitram [friend of the world]. The rules for a permanent lokamitram are the same as those for sándhivigráhika and janamitram.
E- Táttvika, Ácárya/á, Purodhá and Their Concerned Boards
Táttvika, ácárya/á and purodhá trainees will first take lessons from capable persons and then appear at an examination conducted by five other persons (táttvikas, ácárya/ás, or purodhás, as the case may be). Depending on the results of the examination, the Central Táttvika Board, Central Ácárya Board, or Central Purodhá Board will issue certificates to the persons concerned. Each certificate will bear the registration number, and also the signatures of the examiners.
Táttvika, ácárya/á and purodhá – these terms indicate ability and dynamicity. Therefore, if for any reason except old age or deformity any táttvika, ácárya/á, or purodhá is unable to discharge his/her respective duties, the power to cancel the certificate will be with the Central Táttvika Board, Central Ácárya Board, or Central Purodhá Board, respectively. An appeal for reconsideration against the decision of the Central Táttvika Board can be made to the Central Ácárya Board, and in that case the verdict of the latter will be final. Accordingly, an appeal for reconsideration against the decision of the Central Ácárya Board can be made to the Central Purodhá Board, and in that case the verdict of the latter will be final and binding. Táttvika, ácárya, purodhá and such terms represent oneʼs individual ability and are not hereditary.