Singh Sabha Of Virginia

Article I. NAME

This organization is known as the Singh Sabha Gurdwara.

Article II. OBJECTIVES

1. The objectives of the Singh Sabha Gurdwara ("SSG") are to:
   1. Operate and maintain a Gurdwara (Sikh religious place of worship) in Northern Virginia, to hold regular congregations and celebrate Gurpurbs and other specific Sikh religious functions, in accordance with the Akal Takhat Sikh Rehat Maryada;
   2. Propagate the teachings of the Ten Sikh Gurus and Sri Guru Granth Sahib;
   3. Encourage and invite Sangat to participate actively in Gurdwara sewa;
   4. Teach the Punjabi language, Gurbani, Kirtan, and Sikh history; and
   5. Interface with and participate in activities with other Gurdwaras and Sikh Institutions to enhance the goals of Sikhism.
2. Attendance at SSG functions is open to the Sangat irrespective of caste, creed, color, race, sex, national origin, or religion provided they wear proper attire and show proper respect to Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
3. The SSG is organized exclusively for religious, charitable and educational purposes, including, but not limited to, making contributions to tax exempt organizations under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue law).

Article III. ACTIVITIES AT THE PREMISES

All activities at the Gurdwara premises shall be limited to religious, educational, charitable, sports and athletic events, and for the welfare of children and senior citizens.

The SSG shall not conduct any activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by an organization exempt from Federal Income Tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue law), or (b) by organization contributions which are deductible under section 170(c)(2) of Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue law).

Article IV. ROLE OF SRI AKAL TAKHAT SAHIB

Sri Akal Takhat Sahib is the highest religious and temporal authority of Sikhs. An Aadesh (Order) from the Akal Takhat Sahib shall be final and binding upon the SSG management and its members.

Under no circumstances shall an Aadesh from the Akal Takhat Sahib be subject to any Adjudication by any outside non-Sikh judicial or arbitration body. No court or governmental authority shall have jurisdiction and power to consider, change, amend or delete any part of said Aadesh so long as it does not conflict with U.S. laws.

Every Aadesh issued by the Akal Takht Sahib shall automatically become an addendum To the SSG By-laws without regard to a formal amendment of the By-laws.

Article V. MEMBERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The SSG shall comprise of its members forming a Sikh Assembly, a Management Committee, and an institution of the Panj Payaras (five confirmed Sikhs).

Prior to assuming their respective offices, the Panj Payaras and the members of the Management Committee shall do Ardas (prayer) and take a pledge before the Guru Granth Sahib committing themselves to carry out their selfless duties in a loyal, sincere and respectable manner in accordance with the SSG Constitution and By-laws.

1. The Panj Payaras shall be Amrithdhari Sikhs who recite Nitnem (designated daily prayers) and remember by heart the Japji Sahib, the Chaupai Sahib, the Rehras Sahib, and the Kirtan Sohila. They shall be impartial, selfless, humble and courteous.
2. All members of the Management Committee shall be Amritdhari Sikhs, if available. Otherwise, they shall be Puran Keshadhari Sikhs. They must remember by heart the Japji Sahib, the Chaupai Sahib, the Rehras Sahib, and the Kirtan Sohila. They shall be impartial, selfless, humble and courteous.
3. Any Sikh, who conforms to the definition of a Sikh under Article II of SSG Bylaws and pledges to abide by the SSG Constitution and Bylaws, can become a member of the SSG. A person applying for the SSG membership shall declare in writing that he/she accepts Sri Akal Takhat Sahib as the highest religious and temporal authority of Sikhs, is a resident of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, and is not a member of any other Gurdwara in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area while maintaining an active membership at the SSG.

   If a person is already a member of another Gurdwara in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and wishes to become a member of this Gurdwara, he/she shall have to resign from that membership before he/she can become a member of the SSG.

   Membership of the SSG is valid so long as the above-mentioned conditions are complied with, otherwise, it automatically ceases without any notice to the affected person.

Article VI. ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

Use of SSG funds shall be restricted to only SSG sponsored activities as defined in Article III. Assets and liabilities of the SSG shall be administered by the SSG Management Committee. The SSG Management Committee shall be authorized and empowered to pay Reasonable compensations in furtherance of the objectives set forth in Article II.

No part of the net earnings of the SSG shall enure to the benefit, or be distributable to its members, officers, or other private person(s). No member of the Management Committee shall be held personally responsible for any SSG financial liability, except when he/she has abused or misused his/her powers.

Article VII. RESOLUTION OF A DISPUTE

Under no circumstances shall any dispute of any nature among SSG members be taken to any outside non-Sikh judicial or arbitration body, and no SSG funds shall be spent on the litigation of such dispute. Instead, the dispute shall be resolved, either by the Panj Payaras or a Sikh tribunal appointed by the Akal Takhat Sahib, in accordance with Sikh tenets. The Panj Payaras must declare that they accept Sri Akal Takhat Sahib as the highest religious and temporal authority of Sikhs.

The disputing parties shall first be given the option to mutually agree upon any Panj Payaras. If they cannot come to such an agreement, the dispute shall be resolved by either The Panj Payaras appointed by the SSG or a Sikh tribunal appointed by the Akal Takhat Sahib.

The decision of the Panj Payaras or the Sikh tribunal shall be binding. In a case in which either disputing party wishes to appeal the Panj Payaras' decision or the Sikh tribunal's decision, the appeal can only be made to the Akal Takhat Sahib. The decision of the Akal Takhat Sahib shall be final and binding. There shall be no further appeal. There shall be no judicial intervention in the decision unless it is contrary to United States laws.

Article VIII. AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION OR BY-LAWS

No portion of the SSG Constitution shall be amended except with a three-fourth (3/4) majority vote by the SSG members present and voting at a Sikh Assembly meeting called for that purpose and with a subsequent approval by the Akal Takhat Sahib.

No portion of the SSG By-laws shall be amended except with a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote by the SSG members present and voting at a Sikh Assembly meeting called for that purpose.

Any proposed amendment of the SSG Constitution and the By-laws that contradicts the teachings of the Ten Sikh Gurus as contained in the Guru Granth Sahib, the Akal Takhat Sikh Rehat Maryada, or any Aadesh issued by the Akal Takhat Sahib, shall not be considered.

Article IX. DISSOLUTION

A decision to dissolve the SSG shall be approved by a three-fourths (3/4) majority vote by the Sikh Assembly members present and voting in a Sikh Assembly meeting called for that purpose. The SSG Management Committee, after paying or making provision for payment of all liabilities of the SSG, shall dispose of all SSG assets to the Akal Takhat Sahib or, as directed by the Akal Takhat Sahib, to a Sikh Gurdwara organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable or educational purposes and a qualified tax exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue law).