Vishy! Catch it if you can

Role of the Internal Auditor in The Press Club Mumbai

The role of the Internal Auditor of the Press Club, Mumbai, has come into sharp focus, in the light of the amended provisions of Article 30 of the Club's Constitution, better known as the "Bye-laws & Rules and Regulations", and the vast expenditure that has been incurred/being incurred on a major re-development work that is currently on at the Club.

Given below is the amended version of Article 30 of the Club's constitution (This and several other major Articles of the Club's Constitution were amended on June 30,2006):

Article 30: The General Body at its Annual General Meeting shall elect as Internal Auditor of the Club, a senior member who has been a member for more than 10 years. He shall act as vigilance officer and the functioning of the Managing Committee shall be subject to his objective scrutiny. The Internal Auditor shall directly report to the President every three months on the performance of the Club. Further, the Internal Auditor shall present, if the situation demands, to the President an on-the-spot report on his own or at the behest of the President, if there is a likely breakdown in the Club administration or malfunctioning of the Managing Committee or any other development which necessitates the President's effective intervention.

In the last AGM of the Club held on July 27, 2007 it was pointed out by the Secretary Gurbir Singh that there was no internal auditor for the last one year as the one elected for this post in his absence declined to accept the job. At this some members suggested that appointments for such posts should be made only from among those present in the AGM or his consent should be available in writing. Senior Member Mr G Vishwanath , who was present in the AGM and gave his consent to take up the job was unanimously elected for the post for the year 2007-08.
Here are some questions which are begging for an answer from the Internal Auditor, President and the Managing Committee of the Press Club:

1) Has the current Internal Auditor submitted reports to the President every three months ever since he(the internal auditor) was appointed to the post for the year 2007-08 at the Annual General body Meeting held on July 27,2007 as has been mandated by the amended Constitution of the Club?

2) In the event of internal auditor having not submitted reports to him every three months, has the President bothered to fulfill his responsibility of asking the Internal Auditor as to why he(internal auditor) has not reported to him every three months as has been mandated under the Constitution?

3) Has the Managing Committee of the Club bothered to keep the Internal Auditor in the loop as to the financial matters relating to the re-development work? In specific terms, has it kept him posted of the matters vis-à-vis the contract(s) on civil works at the club, spilled over civil works and contract on the furnishing work? Has it kept him posted on the various correspondences/agreements reached on financial matters relating to the club's re-development work? Has it informed the Internal Auditor whether it has followed parameters under which it (the Managing Committee) was given a "go ahead" to raise funds for the club re-development work in a manner in it wanted to in its proposals passed at the SGM held on July 27,2007?

4) Last but not the least, has the Internal Auditor kept track of financial matters relating to the 're-development' work at the club?