ACT, No. 77 OF 2009

77of2009.pdf
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PARLIAMENT OF THE DEMOCRATIC
SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF
SRI LANKA
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GRASSROOTS FOUNDATION
(INCORPORATION) ACT, NO. 77 OF 2009
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[Certified on 29th December, 2009]
Printed on the Order of Government
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Published as a Supplement to Part II of the Gazette of the Democratic
Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka of January 01, 2010
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Grassroots Foundation (Incorporation) 1
Act, No. 77 of 2009
[Certified on 29th December, 2009]
L. D. —O. Inc. 27/2008
ANACT TOINCORPORATE THE GRASSROOTS FOUNDATION
WHEREAS an association called and known as the Preamble.
“Grassroots Foundation” has heretofore been established in
Sri Lanka for the purpose of effectually carrying out its
objects and transacting all matters connected with the said
association according to the rules agreed to by its
members:
AND WHEREAS the said association has heretofore
successfully carried out and transacted the several objects
and matters for which it was formed and has applied to be
incorporated and it will be for the public advantage to grant
the said application:
BE it therefore enacted by the Parliament of the Democratic
Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka as follows:—
1. This Act may be cited as the Grassroots Foundation Short title.
(Incorporation) Act, No. 77 of 2009.
2. From and after the date of commencement of this Act Incorporation
such and so many persons as now are members of the of the
“Grassroots Foundation” (hereinafter referred to as the Grassroots
Foundation.
“Foundation”) or shall hereafter be admitted as members of
the Corporation hereby constituted shall be a body corporate
with perpetual succession under the name and style of the
Grassroots Foundation (hereinafter referred to as “the
Corporation”), and by that name may sue and be sued with
full power and authority to have, and use a common seal and
to alter the same at its pleasure.
3. The objects for which the Coperation is constituted General objects
are hereby declared to be— of the
Corporation.
(a) To protect individual and collective civil rights, civil
liberty and dignity of people irrespective of religion,
race, caste, creed, color and social standing;
2—004485—3,120 (10/2009)
2 Grassroots Foundation (Incorporation)
Act, No. 77 of 2009
(b) to educate the poor and marginalized people at
grassroot level on civil rights, fundamental duties
and entitlements of the citizens of Sri Lanka;
(c) to promote economic development and social
upliftment of the poor and marginalized people at
grassroot level by organizing various skill
development programmes and creating various
employment oriented programmes;
(d) to promote peace, social justice, racial equality,
religious harmony, mutual trust and respect
amongst people of all races and religious faiths by
organizing various educational and awareness
programmes;
(e) to encourage people to foster their mother tongue,
cultural values, good customs and traditions;
(f) to promote the right to information among urban
and rural poor by providing training in computers
and computer technology and various other
ifnormation technology programmes;
(g) to introduce training programmes to enhance
communication skills and technological skills of
poor and needy;
(h) to work in close association with Governmental
and Non-Governmental Organizations, religious
bodies, cultural groups, International organizations
and other institutions and organizations in order to
achieve the objects of the Corporation.
(2) The Corporation shall ensure that the implementation
of the objects of the Corporation shall be carried out without
any distinction based on race, religion, language, caste, sex
or political opinion.
Grassroots Foundation (Incorporation) 3
Act, No. 77 of 2009
4. Subject to the provisions of this Act and any other Powers of the
written law, the Corporation shall have the power to do, Foundation.
perform and execute all such acts and matters as are necessary
or desirable for the promotion or furtherance of the objects
of the Corporation or any one of them, including the power—
(a) to purchase, acquire, rent, construct and otherwise
obtain lands or buildings which may be required
for the pruposes of the Corporation;
(b) to raise funds and receive grants, gifts or donations
in cash or kind;
(c) to make, draw, accept, discount, endorse, negotiate,
buy, sell and issue bills of exchange, cheques,
promissory notes and other negotiable instruments
and to open, operate, maintain and close accounts
in any bank;
(d) to enter into contracts partnerships or agreements
with any Govrnmental or non Governmental
organizations or any other person or institution
whether in Sri Lanka or abroad;
(e) to invest any funds that are not immediately required
for the purposes of the Corporation, in such manner
as the Board of Management may determine;
(f) to appoint, employ, dismiss or terminate the services
of officers and servants of the Corporation and
exercise disciplinary control over them and to pay
them such salaries, allowances and gratuities as may
be determined by the Corporation;
(g) to train personnel in Sri Lanka or abroad for the
purposes of the Corporation; and
(h) to do all other things as are necessary or expedient
for the proper and effective carrying out of the
objects of the Corporation.
4 Grassroots Foundation (Incorporation)
Act, No. 77 of 2009
Corporation 5. Subject to the provisions of this Act, the Corporation
may hold shall be able and capable in law to take and hold any property,
property
movable or immovable, which may become vested in it by
movable and
immovable. virtue of any purchase, grant, gift, testamentary disposition
or otherwise, and all such property shall be held by the
Corporation for the purpose of the Act and subject to the
rules of Corporation, made under section 7, with power to
sell, mortgage, lease, exchange, or otherwise dispose of the
same.
Management of 6. (1) The management and administration of the affairs
the affairs of the of the Corporation shall subject to the provisions of this Act
Corporation.
be administered by a Board of Management consisting of
such number of office bearers elected in the manner as may
be provided by the rules of the Corporation made under
section 7.
(2) The first Board of Management of the Corporation
shall consist of the members of the Board of Management of
the Foundatin who hold office on the day immediately
preceding the date of commencement of this Act.
Rules of the 7. (1) It shall be lawful for the Corporation from to time,
Corporation. at any general meeting of the Corporation and by a majority
of not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting,
to make rules, not inconsistent with the provisins of this Act
or any other written law, for all or any of the following
matters:—
(a) the classificatin of membership, admission,
withdrawal, expulsion or resignation of members
and fees payable by the members;
(b) the election of office bearers of the Board of
Management or vacation of or removal from office
and the powers, duties and functions of the office
bearers;
(c) the appointment, powers, functions and duties and
the terms and conditions of the various officers,
agents and servants of the Corporation;
Grassroots Foundation (Incorporation) 5
Act, No. 77 of 2009
(d) the procedure to be followed at the summoning
and holding of meetings of the Board of
Management, the Corporaiton or any sub-
committee thereof, filling of vacancies, notices and
agenda of such meetings, the quorum and the
conduct of business thereat;
(e) the qualifications and disqualifications for members
of the Board of Management and the Corporation;
and
(f) the administration and management of the property
of the Corporation for the accomplishment of the
objects of the Corporation
(2) Any rule made by the Corporation may be amended,
altered, added to or resicned at a like meeting and in like
manner, as a rule made under subsection (1) of this section.
(3) The members of the Corporation shall at all times be
subject to the rules of the Corporation made under this
section.
8. (1) The Corporation shall have its own fund. Found of the
Corporation.
(2) All moneys received by way of gift, berquest, donation,
subscription, contribution, fess or grnat for and on account
of the Corporation shall be deposited in one or more banks
approved by the Board of Management to the credit of the
Corporation.
(3) There shall be paid out of the Fund, all sums of money
as are required to defray any expenditure incurred by the
Corporation in the exercise, performance and discharge of
its powers, duties and functions under the Act.
9. (1) The financial year of the Corporation shall be the Accounts and
Auditing.
calendar year.
6 Grassroots Foundation (Incorporation)
Act, No. 77 of 2009
(2) The Corporation shall cause proper accounts to be
kept of its income and expenditure, assets and liabilities
and all other transactins of the Corporaitn.
(3) The accounts of the Corporatin shall be audited
annually by a qualified auditor appointed by the Board of
Management.
(4) In this section “qualified auditor” means—
(a) an individual who, being a member of the Institute
of Chartered Accounts of Sri Lanka or of any other
Institute established by law, who possesses a
certificate to practise as an Accountant, issued by
the Council of such Institute; or
(b) a firm of Accountants, each of the resident partners
of which, being a member of the Institute of Chartered
Accountants of Sri Lanka or of any other Institute
established by law, who possesses a certificate to
practise as an Accountant, issued by the Council of
such Institute.
Debts due by 10. All debts and liabilities of the Foundation existing
and payable to on the day immediatley preceding the date of commencement
the Foundation.
of this Act shall be paid by the Corporation hereby constituted
and all debts due to and subscription and contributions
payable to the Foundation on that day shall be paid to the
Corporation for the purposes of this Act.
Limitatin of 11. No member of the Corporaitn shall, for the purpose
liability of
of discharging the debts and liabilities of the Corporaitn, or
members.
for any other purpose, be liable to make any contribution
exceeding the amount of such membership fees as may be
due from time to time to the Corporation.
Property 12. If upon the dissolution of the Corporation there
remaining on remains after the satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities
dissolution.
any property whatsoever, such property shall not be
distributed among the members of the Corporation, but shall
Grassroots Foundation (Incorporation) 7
Act, No. 77 of 2009
be given or transferred to some other institution or
institutions having objects similar to those of the
Corporation, and which is or are by the rules prohibited
from distributing any income or property among its or their
members.
13. The seal of the Corporation shall not be affixed to Seal of the
any instrument whatsoever, except in the presence of two Coporation.
members of the Board of Management of the Corporation
and who shall sign their names to the instrument in token of
their presence and such signing shall be independent of the
signing of any person as a witness.
14. Nothing in this Act contained shall prejudice or Saving of the
affect the rights of the Repbublic or of any body politic or rights of the
Republic.
corporate.
15. In the event of any inconsistency between the Sinhala Sinhala text
and the Tamil texts of this Act, the Sinhala text shall prevail. to prevail in
case of
inconsistency.

8 Grassroots Foundation (Incorporation)
Act, No. 77 of 2009
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