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(1)
a separate vote for each member of the Branch the
person represents, in
addition to any vote the person may have as a member of the Branch in his or
her own right; and
(2)
on a show of hands, one vote.
(c)
A Branch member is not entitled to vote at a Branch General Meeting if:
(1)
he or she is a Non Financial Member for a period exceeding 3 months; and
(2)
in the opinion of the person chairing the Branch General Meeting, the
member of the Branch intended to be a Non Financial Member for that
period.
(d)
An objection to the qualification of a person to vote at a Branch General Meeting:
(1)
must be raised before or at the meeting at which the
vote objected to is given
or tendered; and
(2)
must be referred to the person chairing the meeting, whose decision is final.
(e)
A vote not disallowed by the person chairing a meeting under rule 3.21(d) is valid
for all purposes.
(f)
Where two or more persons are members of AIA by virtue of having paid a joint
annual membership fee, such persons will at a Branch General Meeting (whether on
a show of hands or on a poll) be entitled to cast in aggregate not more than two votes
upon any proposed resolution.
3.21 Representation at Branch General Meetings
(a)
Subject to these rules, each Branch member entitled to vote at a Branch General
Meeting may vote:
(1)
in person or, where a member is a body corporate, by its representative; or
(2)
by proxy.
(b)
A proxy must be a member of AIA, but may not be a Non Financial Member.
(c)
A proxy may be appointed for all Branch General Meetings, or for any number of
Branch General Meetings, or for a particular Branch General Meeting.
(d)
Unless otherwise provided in the instrument, an instrument appointing a proxy will
be taken to confer authority:
(1)
to speak to any proposed resolution on which the proxy may vote;
(2)
to demand or join in demanding a poll on any resolution on which the proxy
may vote;
(3)
even though the instrument may refer to specific resolutions and may direct
the proxy how to vote on those resolutions:
(A)
to vote on any amendment moved to the proposed resolutions and on
any motion that the proposed resolutions not be put or any similar
motion;
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(B)
to vote on any procedural motion, including any motion to elect the
chairperson, to vacate the chair or to adjourn the meeting; and
(C)
to act generally at the meeting; and
(4)
even though the instrument may refer to a specific meeting to be held at a
specified time or venue, where the meeting is re-scheduled or adjourned to
another time or changed to another venue, to attend and vote at the re-
scheduled or adjourned meeting or at the new venue.
(e)
An instrument appointing a proxy may direct the manner in
which the proxy is to
vote in respect of a particular resolution and, where an instrument so provides, the
proxy is not entitled to vote on the proposed resolution except as directed in the
instrument.
(f)
Subject to rule 3.21(h), an instrument appointing a proxy need not be in any
particular form provided it is in writing, legally valid and:
(1)
in
the case of a natural person, signed by the appointer or in the case of a
body corporate, executed under the seal of the appointer; and
(2)
deposited at the registered office of the Branch within the time specified in
the notice of meeting or 48 hours before the time scheduled for the meeting,
whichever is the shorter.
(g)
Subject to rule 3.21(h), a proxy may not vote at a Branch General Meeting or
adjourned meeting or on a poll unless the instrument appointing the proxy is:
(1)
deposited at the Branch office, or at such other place specified for that
purpose in the notice convening the meeting before the time for holding the
meeting or adjourned meeting or taking the poll (as the case may be);
(2)
in the case of a meeting
or an adjourned meeting, tabled at the meeting or
adjourned meeting at which the person named in the instrument proposes to
vote; or
(3)
in the case of a poll, produced when the poll is taken.
(h)
The Branch Committee may waive all or any of the requirements of rules 3.21(f) and
(g) and in particular may, upon the production of such other evidence as the Branch
Committee requires to prove the validity of the appointment of a proxy, accept the
deposit, tabling or production of a copy (including a copy sent by facsimile) of an
instrument appointing a proxy or of the power of attorney or other authority under
which the instrument is signed.
(i)
A vote given in accordance with the terms of an instrument appointing a proxy is
valid despite the revocation of the instrument or of the authority under which the
instrument was executed, if no notice in writing of the revocation has been received
by the Branch by the time and at one of the places at which the instrument
appointing the proxy is required to be deposited, tabled or produced under rule
3.21(g).
(j)
The appointment of a proxy is not revoked by the appointer attending and
taking part
in the Branch General Meeting but, if the appointer votes on any resolution, the
proxy is not entitled to vote, and must not vote, as the appointer's proxy on the
resolution.