THE SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHA'IS OF Ord. No. 42/88
HONG KONG INCORPORATION
(2) Each newly-elected local spiritual assembly shall at once proceed in the manner indicated in paragraphs 5 and 6 to the election of its officers, who shall consist of a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer, and such other officers as the Assembly finds necessary for the conduct of its business and the fulfilment of its spiritual duties. Immediately thereafter the Secretary chosen shall transmit to the Secretary of the Assembly the names of the members of the newly-elected local spiritual assembly and a list of its officers.
(3) The general powers and duties of a local spiritual assembly shall be as set forth in the writings of Baha'u'llah, 'Abdu'l-Baha and Shoghi Effendi.
(4) Among its more specific duties, a local spiritual assembly shall have jurisdiction of all Baha'i activities and affairs within the local community, subject, however, to the exclusive and paramount authority of the Assembly as defined herein.
(5) Vacancies in the membership of a local spiritual assembly shall be filled by election at a special meeting of the voting members then living within that authorized area duly called for that purpose by the Assembly. In the event that the number of vacancies exceeds four, making a quorum of the local spiritual assembly impossible, the election shall be held under the supervision of the Assembly.
(6) The business of the local spiritual assembly shall be conducted in like manner as provided for the deliberations of the Assembly in paragraph 6.
(7) The local spiritual assembly shall pass upon and approve the qualifications of each member of the Baha'i community before such member shall be admitted as a voting member or thereafter removed as a voting member; but where an individual is dissatisfied with the ruling of the local spiritual assembly upon his status as a voting member, such individual may appeal from the ruling to the Assembly, which shall thereupon take jurisdiction of and finally decide the case.
(8) On or before the 1st November of each year the Secretary of each local spiritual assembly shall send to the Secretary of the Assembly a duly certified list of the voting members of the local Baha'i community for the information and approval of the Assembly.
(9) All matters arising within a local Baha'i community which are of purely local interest and do not affect the interest of the Baha'i Faith in the area of Hong Kong as a whole shall be under the primary jurisdiction of the local spiritual assembly of that authorized area; but the decision whether a particular matter involves the interest and welfare of the entire Baha'i community of Hong Kong or other Baha'i communities shall rest with the Assembly.
(10) Any member of a local Baha'i community may appeal from a decision of his local spiritual assembly to the Assembly, which shall determine whether it shall take jurisdiction of the matter or leave it to the local spiritual assembly for reconsidera- tion. In the event that the Assembly assumes jurisdiction of the matter, its findings shall be final.
(11) Where any dissension exists within a local Baha'i community of such character that it cannot be remedied by the efforts of the local spiritual assembly, this condition shall be referred by the local spiritual assembly for consideration to the Assembly, whose action in the matter shall be final.
(12) All questions arising between two or more local spiritual assemblies, or between members of different Baha'i communities, shall be submitted to the Assem- bly, which shall have original and final jurisdiction in all such matters.
(13) The sphere of jurisdiction of a local spiritual assembly, with respect to residential qualification of membership, and voting rights of a believer in any Baha'i community, shall be the locality included within the authorized area.
(14) All differences of opinion concerning the sphere of jurisdiction of any local spiritual assembly or concerning the affiliation of any Baha'i or group of Baha'is in Hong Kong shall be referred to the Assembly, whose decision in the matter shall be final.
A193
-
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.