Mata Amritanandamayi Centre (Mauritius Branch) Act

Jurisdiction: Mauritius
Citation: Act 14 of 1997
Date: 30 June 2017
Language: English
Type: Legislation
Download: Download PDF (172.9 KB)

Mauritius

Mata Amritanandamayi Centre (Mauritius Branch) Act

Act 14 of 1997

Commenced on 30 July 1997
[This is the version of this document at 30 June 2017.]

1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the Mata Amritanandamayi Centre (Mauritius Branch) Act.

2. Interpretation

In this Act—"Board" means the Board of Management referred to in section 5;"Centre" means the Mata Amritanandamayi Centre (Mauritius Branch) established under section 3;"M.A. Math in India", means the Mata Amritanandamayi Math, Amritapuri, Kollam District, Kerala State, India.

3. Establishment of Centre

(1)There is established for the purposes of this Act the Mata Amritanandamayi Centre (Mauritius Branch).

(2)The Centre shall be a body corporate.

4. Objects of Centre

The objects of the Centre shall be to—

(a)impart and promote the study of Hinduism and all its scriptures in the light of the life and teachings of the Divine Mother Mata Amritanandamayi;

(b)promote the study of comparative theology and philosophy in their widest form and assist in bringing about the harmony of religions;

(c)impart and promote the study of the arts, sciences and industries;

(d)train teachers in all branches of knowledge referred to in paragraphs (a) to (c) and enable them to reach the masses;

(e)carry on educational work among the masses;

(f)establish, maintain, carry on and otherwise assist—

(i)maths or monasteries with temples, prayer halls and centres for Yogic physical training; and

(ii)schools, colleges, students' homes, orphanages, workshops, agricultural schools and farms, clinics, dispensaries, houses for the infirm, the invalid and the afflicted, temporary relief works to alleviate distress caused by scarcity of any kind, by cyclone and other natural disasters, by pestilential diseases;

(iii)other educational and charitable activities and institutions of a like nature;

(g)incorporate institutions, societies, or associations having objects in whole or in part similar to any of those of the Branch and co-operate with any person or persons in aid of such objects;

(h)print, publish, sell or distribute gratuitously or otherwise, journals, periodicals, books or leaflets that the Centre thinks desirable for the promotion of its objects; and

(i)undertake and carry on all such activities as appear necessary to attain the aims and objects of the Centre and do all such things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of any of them.

5. The Board

(1)The Centre shall, subject to any regulations made under this Act, be administered by a Board of Management, consisting of a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, one or more Assistant Secretaries, a Treasurer and not more than 9 and not less than 7 other members, to be appointed in the prescribed manner.

(2)The total number of members and office-bearers shall not exceed 14.

(3)The members of the Board shall hold office until the appointment of their successors.

6. Powers of Board

(1)The Board may, at any of its meetings, held after due notice, by a majority of votes of the members present and voting at such meeting, make such regulations, not inconsistent with the laws of Mauritius, as it thinks fit and proper for the welfare of the Centre.

(2)Any regulations made by the Board shall be subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees of the M.A. Math in India.

(3)All members of the Centre including its life members shall be subject to any regulations made under this Act.

(4)Notwithstanding section 21 of the Interpretation and General Clauses Act, regulations made under subsection (1) shall not be required—

(a)to be approved;

(b)to be laid before the Assembly; or

(c)to be published in the Gazette.

7. Legal proceedings and execution of documents

(1)Service of process by or on the Secretary of the Centre shall be equivalent to service by or on the Centre.

(2)Every document relating to the Centre shall be signed by the President and the Secretary or the Treasurer of the Centre.

8. Property of Centre

The Centre may lease its property for a short term, or with the previous sanction of the Board of Trustees of the M.A. Math in India, may sell, mortgage, exchange or otherwise dispose of its property.

9. Application of income

(1)The income and the property of the Centre, whenever derived, shall be applied solely towards the promotion of its objects and shall not be used contrary to the conditions of any trust under which the property is received.

(2)Where funds and property have been donated for specific purposes, they shall be utilised for the purposes for which they are granted and shall not be utilised outside those purposes without the sanction of the local committees.

(3)The income and property of the Centre shall be applied solely towards the promotion of the objects of the Centre and no portion of it shall be distributed or transferred by way of dividend or bonus to members of the Centre.

10. Activities of Centre

(1)The Centre shall not start any permanent institution except with the previous sanction of the Board of Trustees of the M.A. Math in India.

(2)The spiritual activities of the Centre, such as the conducting of prayers, worship and meditation, religious festivals and functions, preaching, including publication, and the like, and all affairs relating to monasteries, temples and prayer halls shall be under the control of a Monastic Member (Resident Minister-in-charge) appointed by the Board of Trustees of the M.A. Math in India, who shall be an ex officio member of the Board.

(3)The borrowing by the Centre of any amount shall require the previous sanction of the Board of Trustees of the M.A. Math in India.

(4)Except as provided in this Act, any dispute or doubt as to any matter or question relating to the principles and policy of the Centre shall be referred to the Board of Trustees of the M.A. Math in India whose decision shall be final.

11. Donations and legacies

Article 910 of the Code Civil Mauricien shall not apply to the Centre.

12. Exemption

Notwithstanding any other enactment, the Centre shall be exempt from payment of duties on donations and legacies made to it.

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History of this document

30 June 2017 this version

Consolidation

30 July 1997

Commenced