No. of Present members :160+
Shri Bharatkumar Parikh, Secretary started meeting at 10.15 am and welcomed the Senior and Yuva members. Twenty out of 271 Yuva members were present. Bharatkumar Parikh, after greetings, explained the safety rules. Group of lady members performed prayer before the meeting starts as usual.
Birthdays of members falling in the month of November was celebrated with a special 80th birthday of Shri Jagdish Patel was also and our senior members Shri Amarsinhbhai Rathod offered Shawl to shri Jagdishbhai as per traditions of our Samaj.
The Secretary Shri Bharatkumar started the meeting proceedings with short introduction on Agenda of this Extra Ordinary General Meeting informing all members that a copy of the new draft Constitution was placed on the website of Gujarati Samaj New Zealand Inc. on 11th Oct 2025 for the reference of all 550+ members and it was requested to all the members to come back with any concerns they have on or before 24th Oct 2025, so that it can be discussed and resolved before EOGM.
Then he invited the president Shri Kaushik Kansara on the stage to open the meeting for the proceedings of the Agenda of the EOGM called for.
The President Shri Kaushikbhai elaborated the purpose and importance of this meeting and explained that the process of Re Registration of Gujarati Samaj was supposed to be started from April 2022 under new act and this was to be completed before 6thApril 2026. Adoption of new constitution is mandatory requirement for re - registration process. He also explained the consequences if this process is not done in time. He informed the members to maintain decorum of the meeting & requested all members to come forward with their concerns/suggestions only related to the constitution and that too pointwise & briefly so that everyone can get opportunity to discuss. Then for further details on the new constitution and its importance, the President invited Shri Vijay Mody, the Chair of the Re-registration committee on the stage to carry out the process to adopt the new constitution.
Then Shri Vijay Mody introduced his team members Sarva Shri Amarsinhbhai Rathod, Nanjibhai Anjara, Kaushikbhai Kansara and Bharatkumar Parikh on stage and also remembered Shri Dharmendrabhai Mehta (Canada) and Shri Kiritbhai Parikh(Australia). He conveyed his thanks for their valued contribution, support, advice and suggestions in formation of this new constitution. All these members have outstanding experience in dealing with the people of different groups, ethnicity and in different fields of management, commerce and legal fields.
Shri Vijay Mody explained difference and some mandatory requirements specified between the Incorporated Societies Act of 1908 prevailing in New Zealand and the new Act 2022 which is fully in force from 5 October 2023. The last date of re-registering of the societies under this Act 2022 is 5 April 2026, and he also informed that thereafter if not re-registered, the society shall be de-listed by the government under this Act.
Shri Vijay Mody also informed all members that a group of 4-5 Senior members and couple of Yuva members had raised their concern over e-mails on 24th and 27th Oct 2025. All the concerns were responded with suitable responses explaining the purpose of inclusion of certain clauses to look forward for decades of the existence of our Gujarati Samaj and it was not with any short vision of bias. He also mentioned that a special meeting with Solicitor Shri Bhupendrabhai C Patel was also fixed on 27th at 2.30 pm to clear all doubts for those who had any objections/concerns Unfortunately, no one came forward with their concerns to face Solicitor.
After this, Shri Vijay Mody proposed the adoption of the new Constitution on floor from most members present, but Immediately without listening any further, Shri Jignesh Thaker, Yuva member present in the hall started shouting and arguing saying that the new constitution without discussions cannot be adopted. He was explained the process of adoption following certain procedure, it cannot be adopted without following the mandatory procedures.
Shri Vijay Mody explained him that as per procedure, someone must move the proposal to put the draft constitution on floor for discussion and when 2/3rd + majority of the members accepting it favourably then only the draft constitution will be adopted Even after repeated request from the stage. Shri Jignesh Thaker did not allow to proceed the meeting further and he was very adamant. At that very moment Shri Kiritbhai Thaker, past President and father of Shri Jignesh Thaker also raised his issues in support of his son and try to derail the meeting. At one stage Shri Jignesh Thaker, Smt. Palak Barot and Smt. Bhartidevi Chauhan (Vice president) raised their voice to stop the AGM/SGM and tried to derail the meeting. Shri Kirit Thaker continuously insisting to speak.
Shri Vijay Mody informed the members that all concerns raised by Shri Kiirit Thaker were also responded well before few days of this EOGM date.
Shri Chirag Tailor, youth committee convener, requested Vijaybhai to speak and listen Shri Kirit Thaker’s concerns and it was accepted and allow him to speak so that meeting can proceed.
Vijaybhai then allowed Shri Kirit Thaker to present his concerns clause by clause for discussions in this meeting. Then Shri Kirit Thaker came near the stage disrespectfully jumped over to the stage and he started explaining again and again to the members how this constitution is not good and he is against adoption of this Constitution, if it is to be adopted in this EOGM and also instigated members not to support adoption. This was total indiscipline by his behaviour at this EOGM. He was repeatedly requested from the stage to talk only on the constitutional matter and that too point by point but none on the stage could succeed in stopping him. He was totally in a mood to adjourn/cancel the meeting defeating the purpose of EOGM instead getting on to the agenda and support the process. This incident has wasted 30+ minutes without any fruitful discussions.
Thereafter Mrs Bhartiben Chauhan (Vice President) also wasted 15 minutes by speaking irrelevantly. Her objection on clause 14 was discussed but majority members did not respond her favourably hence clause 14 remained unchanged. Shri Kanti Patel, Shri Nayan Mistry and Yuva member Ms Palak Barot and Mr Hiren Patel came up with the same issues and concerns saying to give more time to re-draft the constitution as per their interest of looking at the constitution and not looking for a long-term working of the Samaj. These few members’ intention was very clear not to adopt the constitution in any condition hence their core intention was to waste time by not speaking on their concerns and misguide the other members.
The concern over the upper age cap for the Yuva members as 57 years before they transit to senior was discussed as raised by Shri Kirit Thaker and Yuva members, namely Ms. Palak Barot and Shri Hiren Patel also supported to this concern and demanding it to be 55 years. This was unanimously agreed upon by members present and this change was adopted to change age from 57 to 55 years.
During all these disturbances in the hall, most of the members were disappointed as all members come to attend meeting for the purpose and not for a shouts and indiscipline way. Some of the anti-adoption members moved the remaining members to a dining hall leaving the meeting before it is adopted / adjourned. However, the members in favour of adopting the constitution and even opposing the adoption have signed in support before and during the lunch. The record shows that out of the 157 members having attended and some signed the attendance register and the some signed for the adoption of the constitution on the day of EOGM and before the adjournment of the meeting, 117 members have signed and are in favour of adoption of the constitution and 8 have signed and are not in supporting the adoption. Unfortunately, due to the disturbance in the meeting and derailment and defeating the purpose of the meeting, nearly 32 members left before and after lunch. But with the support of 113 members adopting the constitution, amounts to the adoption of constitution.
The re-registration committee members present on the stage were totally disappointed with this act and behaviour of few members including the then President of the Samaj. It was totally a disgusting behaviour. The committee’s observation minute by them is also stated below:
Post meeting Clarification Note
Confirmation of Constitution Adoption at EOGM,
Following the Extraordinary General Meeting (EOGM) held on 1st November 2025, this note serves to clarify the sequence of events and confirm the adoption of the proposed constitution.
During the meeting the constitution was formally tabled for approval.
While the majority of members were present and the prepared to proceed, a small group of attended disrupted the proceedings by raising objections without engaging in structured discussion. Despite repeated invitation to deliberate clause-by- clause, the group declined to participate and excited the hall, alleging bias and refuge further dialogues.
In response, the remaining members, representing a clear and valid quorum, continued to express support for the proposed constitution. During the lunch, these members voluntarily signed the constitution document, affirming their approval in good faith and with full awareness of the content.