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RED CROSS SOCIETY ACT, 1920
15 of 1920
20th March, 1920
STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS At the outbreak of the great war no Red Cross
organisation existed in India, nor does any now exist on a formal basis. Red Cross work was
carried on, in addition to its own normal activities, by the St. John Ambulance Association in
India until August, 1916, when the India Branch of the Joint War committee was established,
as a subordinate branch of the British organization, with a view to co-ordinating effect on
model of the Joint War Committee in England, which was a combination of the British Red
Cross Society and Order of St. John of Jerusalem in England. At the time of its inception the
Indian Branch of the Joint War Committee had not separate funds and was assisted in its early
stages by the receipt of the balances then remaining from the funds collected by the St. John
Ambulance Association in India for Red Cross Work, and by grants made by the Joint War
Committee in England. Its main function was the administration on Red Cross lines of the
funds supplied to it by the Joint War Committee in England and of such other funds as were
raised by local dona- tions, etc. The success which attended the Indian Branch of the Joint
War Committee enabled it to build up a position of considerable administrative importance but
this position was not formally established until, at the end of 1917, the collec- tions resulting
from the "Our Day" appeal placed it in a position of financial independence of the
Headquarters of the Joint War Committee organization in England. The inception of "Our Day",
with magnificent response which it elicited, may be said for the first time to have established
in India that vital interest in Red Cross activities which has enabled the Indian Branch for the
past two years to extend relief, on its own initiative and under its own control, to various
theatres of war in which forces from India have been employed, e.g. Mesopotamia. East
Africa, Egypt and India lately on the North-West Frontier of India. The substantial balance of
funds remaining to the credit of the Indian Branch of the Joint War Committee, chiefly as a
response to the "Our Day" appeal, made it possible to hope that after the war came to an end
work for the relief of sickness and suffering might be perpetated in civil life, and proposals
with this end in view were discussed in the winter of 1918-19. Simultaneously the Joint War
Committee in England (to whom, it should be noted, the Indian Branch were still subordinate)
were addressed to ascertain whether it would be considered legitimate if funds which had
been collected for the relief of suffering arising directly out of the war, were utilised for
medical relief in time of peace with a view to raising the general standard of comfort and
efficiency of civil as well as of millary hospitals, In England two most important steps have
been taken which the Joint War Committee in India may well regard as a starting point in
considering their future organization, and which incidentally, furnish a reply to the enquiry
referred to in the last paragraph. In the first place, the British Red Cross Society has secured a
new charter under which they are author - ised to devote their funds to the alleviation of
distress in civil life and for the amelioration of hospital conditions through- out the United
Kingdom. In the second place, the British Red Cross Society has entered upon an agreement
with the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in England, under which it is hoped that co-ordinated
action will be taken for the utilisation of the resources of both institutions for the common
relief of suffering. Moreover, as a result of plans which had been developed by the Committee
of Red Cross Societies during the early pan of 1919, and by a conference of some of the
leading medical experts of the world, held at Canes (France) in April 1919, and with the
approval of the Governments of five great powers, viz., Great Britain, France, Italy, Japan and
the United States, an International League of Red Cross Societies was constituted for the
purpose of associating the various Red Cross Societies of the world in a systematic effort to
anticipate, diminish and relieve misery produced by disease and calamity. An invitation to
become a member of the League was issued to the Indian Red Cross Society (which, as
explained, does not yet formally exist) and has been provisionally accepted. The Indian Red
Cross Society, when it comes into being, will under these circumstances occupy a status and
position exactly corresponding lo that of the British Red Cross Society in the Council of the
International League of Red Cross Societies; and it will be entitled to the same representation
upon that body as the British or any of the Dominion Red Cross Societies. As a result of these
events we have now reached a position which throws upon the Indian Branch of the Joint War
Committee with its affiliated Provincial Branches, a very great responsibility. It is now
incumbent upon the Joint War Committee with, it is hoped, the backing of all assets of
responsible Indian opinion, to establish an Indian Red Cross Society with branches in every
province, and with functions extending beyond war work in co-operation with the work of St.
John. Ambulance Association and Brigade. Concurrently with the establishment of an Indian
Red Cross Society on a formal basis, it is also necessary to vest in it legal power, on this wider
basis, to administer the funds of the Joint War committee in India, which were collected for
the relief of suffering occasioned by the war and such other sums as may hereafter be
collected and credited to it. The present surplus funds of the Joint War Committee in India
will, under the proposals in the draft Bill become the chief capital fund in reserve for the relief
of the sicknesss, suffering or distress, caused by the operations of war in India or in any other
of the countries in which Expeditionary Forces from India may from time to time be employed,
and for purposes cognate to that body. The first charge on the interest of the invested capital
will be the maintenance of Red Cross Deposts for military purposes and, after allowing for the
above the remaining available sums together with such other sums as may from time to time
be received in aid of the work of the new Society may, in conformity with what has been
decided in England, be devoted to the relief of civil suffering generally, in raising the standard
of comfort of civil as well as military hospitals and their administration and generally in the
interest of hygiene. It is proposed that the arrangements be elaborated on a provincial basis
and that all allotments to provinces annu- ally of interest on capital should bear relation to the
contributions made by provinces to those sums and finally that provincial branches should
have complete discretion in the disposal of these allotments of interest, and in the disposal of
such other sums as may be collected and credited to the provincial branch within the province.
With a view to widening as far as possible the field of useful work opening to the Indian Red
Cross Society and to the provincial branches, it is proposed to legalise the affiliation with those
bodies of societies and bodies having cognate aims and objects." -Gazette of India. 1920, Pt.
V, page 83 - Amending Act 22 of 1956 - For S.O.R. -See under
section 13. Act 14 of 1992.-The Indian Red Cross Society Act, 1920 governs the functioning of
Red Cross Society all over the country. The working of the Act during the past 70 years has
shown many loopholes. The Act docs not contain suffi- cient provisions relating to
appointment of President of the Society, composition of the Managing Body. appointment of
Secretary-General and Treasurer. The entire management structure has been left to be
decided by the Managing Body by rules made by it. As a result, even the President and
Chairman of the Society are unable to exercise proper, supervision and control. On account of
internal wranglings, the Society has not been able to discharge the statutory responsibilities
like holding the Annual General Meeting, passing of Annual Accounts and approval of the
budget. It has also not been possible to appoint a regular Secretary-General in view of several
litigations. 2. The Indian Red Cross Society (Amendment) Ordinance, 1992 was, accordingly,
promulgated by the President on 23rd day of January, 1992 to correct the above -mentioned
distortions and to amend the Act suitably to plug loopholes therein, so that the affairs of the
Society are managed and regulated properly to achieve the objectives for which the Society
was established. The Ordinance made provisions relating to composition of the Managing Body
and provided that the Managing Body existing immediately before the promulgation of the
Ordinance shall cease lo exist and a new Manag - ing Body be re-constituted within a period of
six months from the date of the Ordinance. Provisions were also made for empowering the
Managing Body to appoint a Secretary -General and a Treasurer of the Society and laid-down
their condi - tions of service in the rules to be made by it. It also provided for delegation of
financial and administrative powers to the Chairman and Vice-Chairman, laying down the
qualificatiions and disqualifications of the members of the Managing Body, It also empowered
the President of the Society to supersede the Managing Body if there is gross failure in the
management of the affairs of the Society or in other cases where the Managing Body acts in a
manner which is prejudicial to carrying out the objectives of the Society. 3. The Bill seeks to
replace the said Ordinance. -Gaz. of Ind., 28 -2-92, Pt. II, section 2, Ext., p. 8 (No. 5).
An Act to constitute an Indian Red Cross Society. WHEREAS it is expedient to provide for the
future administration of the various monies and gifts received from the public for the purpose
of medical and other aid to the sick and wounded, and other purposes of a like nature during
the late war, and more especially for the administration of the monies and property held by a
Committee known as the Joint War Committee, Indian Branch, of the Order of St. John of
Jerusalem in England and the British Red Cross Society; AND WHEREAS it is expedient to
constitute an Indian Red Cross Society with a view to the continuation in peace time, on a
wider basis and with a wider purpose, of the work carried on by the said Committee during the
war, and to provide for the affiliation therewith of other societies and bodies having similar
objects; It is hereby enacted as follows :-
SECTION 1 Short title
-
(1) This Act may be called the Indian Red Cross Society Act, 1920.
2[ * * *]
SECTION 2 Constitution of India Red Cross Society
- There shall be constituted by this Act a Society to be known as the Indian Red Cross Society
(hereinafter called the Society). The first members of the Society shall be nominated by persons who
immediately before the commencement of this Act were members of the Joint War Committee, Indian
Branch, of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in England and the British Red Cross Society (hereinafter
called the Committee) at a meeting to be summoned and held for that purpose in accordance with the
usual practice of the Committee within three months from the commencement of this Act. The number
of members to be so nominated shall not be less than twenty-five or more than fifty.
SECTION 3 Appointment of Managing Body
- The Committee shall also at the same meeting appoint from among the members nominated
undersection 2-the Managing Body of the society (hereinafter called the Managing Body), the members
of which shall hold office as such until a new Managing Body is appointed as hereinafter provided. The
number of members of the Managing Body shall not be less than ten or more than thirty.
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