Rules & Regulations

14. The office of the Chairman, a Vice-Chairman, the Honorary Secretary, the Deputy Honorary Secretary, and an Elected Member of the Bar Council shall be vacated:-

(a) If he ceases to be a Member.

(b) If by notice in writing to the Honorary Secretary (or in the case of the Honorary Secretary, to the Chairman) he resigns his office.

(c) If he absents himself from meetings of the Bar Council or of the Committees to which he may be appointed by the Bar Council, for 4 consecutive meetings without special leave of absence from the Bar Council.

14A. Where the office of the Chairman is vacated under Regulation 14, the Vice-Chairman (if there is only one Vice-Chairman), or the Senior Vice-Chairman (if there is more than one Vice-Chairman), shall assume the office of Chairman until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting following such assumption (unless Regulation 14 applies before). The Vice-Chairman who has assumed the office of the Chairman as aforesaid shall vacate his office as Vice-Chairman upon such assumption and he shall thereupon be deemed “the Chairman” for all purposes of these presents.

14B. Where the office of the Vice-Chairman (if there is only one Vice-Chairman), or of both Vice-Chairmen (if there is more than one Vice-Chairman, and whether at the same time or otherwise), is vacated under Regulation 14, or by reason of the only (or only remaining) Vice-Chairman assuming the office of the Chairman under Regulation 14A, the Bar Council shall appoint an Elected Member of the Bar Council to assume the office of Vice-Chairman until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting following such assumption (unless Regulation 14 or 14A applies before). The Elected Member who has assumed the office of the Vice-Chairman as aforesaid shall vacate his office as Elected Member upon such assumption and he shall thereupon be deemed “the Vice-Chairman” for all purposes of these presents.

14C. Where the office of the Honorary Secretary is vacated under Regulation 14, the Deputy Honorary Secretary shall assume the office of Honorary Secretary until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting following such assumption (unless Regulation 14 applies before). The Deputy Honorary Secretary who has assumed the office of the Honorary Secretary as aforesaid shall thereupon vacate his office as Deputy Honorary Secretary upon such assumption and he shall thereupon be deemed “the Honorary Secretary” for all purposes of these presents.

14D. Where the office of the Deputy Honorary Secretary is vacated under Regulation 14, or by reason of him assuming the office of the Honorary Secretary under Regulation 14C, the Bar Council shall appoint an Elected Member to the office of the Deputy Honorary Secretary until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting following such assumption (unless Regulation 14 or 14C applies before). The Elected Member who has assumed the office of the Deputy Honorary Secretary as aforesaid shall vacate his office as Elected Member upon such assumption and he shall thereupon be deemed “the Deputy Honorary Secretary” for all purposes of these presents.

14E. Where the offices of the Honorary Secretary and the Deputy Honorary Secretary are vacated at the same time under Regulation 14, the Bar Council shall appoint an Elected Member to the office of the Honorary Secretary, and shall appoint another Elected Member to the office of the Deputy Honorary Secretary, until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting following such assumption (unless Regulation 14 or 14C applies before). The Elected Member who has assumed the office of the Honorary Secretary or the Deputy Honorary Secretary as aforesaid shall vacate his office as Elected Member upon such assumption and he shall thereupon be deemed “the Honorary Secretary” or “the Deputy Honorary Secretary”, as the case may be, for all purposes of these presents.

14F. Where the office of an Elected Member is vacated under Regulation 14, or by reason of him assuming the office of the Vice Chairman, the Honorary Secretary or the Deputy Honorary Secretary under Regulation 14B, 14D or 14E, the Bar Council shall appoint a Member to fill the vacancy and the Member so appointed shall retain his office until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting following such appointment (unless Regulation 14 applies before). Subject to the aforesaid, and save that the Member who is so appointed is not eligible to assume the office of the Vice Chairman, the Honorary Secretary or the Deputy Honorary Secretary under Regulation 14B, 14D or 14E, the Member who is so appointed shall be deemed an Elected Member for all purposes of these presents.

14G. An Elected Member may only assume the office of the Vice Chairman under Regulation 14B if he is eligible to be elected to such offices under Regulation 4A.

14H. In appointing a Member to fill a vacancy in the office of Elected Member under Regulation 14F, the Bar Council shall maintain the requirements as to the composition of the Bar Council under Regulation 6(1).

14I. Where the offices of the Chairman and of the Vice-Chairman (if there is only one Vice-Chairman), or of both Vice-Chairmen (if there is more than one Vice-Chairman), are vacated at the same time under Regulation 14, or where there is no person eligible to assume any of the offices of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Honorary Secretary and Deputy Honorary Secretary, as the case may be, that is or are vacant, under Regulation 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D or 14E, the Bar Council shall convene an Extraordinary General Meeting for the purpose of electing a Member or Members to fill the vacant office or offices within two weeks of the date of the vacancy or vacancies arising, and all the provisions of these presents concerning the election of office shall apply mutatis mutandis save that the Bar Council may abridge any time prescribed under these presents. Every Member so elected to an office shall hold the same until the conclusion of the next Annual General Meeting (unless Regulation 14, 14A or 14C applies before). Provided where the vacancy arises not more than three weeks before next third Thursday of January, no such election shall be held. Where the offices of Chairman and of Vice-Chairman are both vacant, the Bar Council shall appoint one of its Members to act as chairman of the Extraordinary General Meeting, unless an Election Committee is appointed under Regulation 10A in which case the chairman of the Election Committee shall act as chairman of the Extraordinary General Meeting. Where the office of Honorary Secretary is vacant, the Bar Council shall appoint one of its Members to act as the Honorary Secretary (but only for the purpose of performing all acts and duties in conducting the said election or elections).