3.1 Nature of Membership:
Membership in KPTC is a privilege granted by the Club, not a right.
This privilege is contingent upon continuous adherence to these Bylaws and can be revoked immediately for violation.
3.2 Eligibility:
- Open only to individuals (pigeon fanciers) aged 18 years and above.
- Must be of sound mind and demonstrably good character, who subscribes to the objectives of the Club and agrees to abide by these Bylaws.
- Absolute Exclusivity Clause: Exclusivity for Ramanathapuram District Clubs: Any individual holding a membership, office, official role, or any form of affiliation with any other pigeon racing club within the Ramanathapuram District is categorically and permanently ineligible for KPTC membership. This ensures undivided loyalty and prevents irreconcilable conflicts of interest.
- A prospective member must submit a completed Official Membership Application Form (Appendix A) to the President or the Secretary of the Managing Committee.
- Mandatory Documentation: A self-attested copy of the Aadhaar Card is required for identity and address verification. No application will be processed without this.
- The Managing Committee reserves the absolute right to accept or reject any application without being obligated to provide a reason.
- 3.4.1 Ordinary Member: Entitled to participate in all races and social events. Holds no voting rights in committee decisions or elections.
- 3.4.2 Managing Member: Appointed to the Managing Committee by the Leadership. Possesses decision-making and voting power on Club matters.
- 3.4.3 Honorary Member: A title conferred by the Committee upon individuals who have rendered exceptional, long-term service to the sport or the Club. Enjoy full participation rights but no vote and are exempt from race entry fees.
- Minors (under 18 years of age) may participate only under the direct and continuous guardianship of a registered adult member.
- The parent/legal guardian must sign a Liability and Guardianship Undertaking Form (Appendix B), which absolves the Club of all liability specific to the minor's participation and places full legal and financial responsibility on the guardian.
- All race entries for pigeons owned by a minor must be registered solely in the guardian's name. The guardian is solely responsible for the minor's conduct, fees, and compliance.
Membership is personal and strictly non-transferable, non-assignable, and non-heritable.
A member cannot sell, loan, gift, or otherwise transfer their membership rights, ring allocations, race entries, or loft registration under any circumstances.
3.7 Membership Register & Identity Cards:
- Upon acceptance, each member is issued a unique, permanent Member Identification Number.
- The Secretary shall maintain a confidential, secure digital and physical register containing: Full Name, Date of Birth, Residential Address, Contact Numbers, Email ID, Aadhaar Number, Loft GPS Coordinates (verified), and Member ID.
- The Club shall issue an official KPTC Photo Identity Card/certificate bearing the member’s name, ID, photograph, and validity period. This must be presented upon request.
All members shall actively work to maintain the Club's honour and internal harmony.
Forming private sub-groups, cliques, or secret communication channels for the purpose of gossip, spreading misinformation, fostering dissent, or undermining the Committee is a serious offence punishable by immediate suspension and potential expulsion.
Building sub-groups or cliques to foster dissent, spread misinformation, or undermine the Committee is strictly prohibited.
3.9 Consequences of Dual Membership:
Discovery of a violation of Clause 3.2 (Dual Membership) will result in:
- Immediate and Permanent Expulsion.
- Nullification of Membership: The membership is declared void ab initio (from the beginning).
- Retroactive Cancellation: All prizes, points, titles, certificates, and trophies ever won by the member are cancelled, erased from the official records, and must be returned to the Club immediately.
- Legal Action: The Club will pursue all available legal avenues to recover awards and seek damages for fraud.
A member who resigns or is expelled may only apply for re-admission after a mandatory three (3) year cooling-off period.
Re-admission is not guaranteed and requires written approval from both the President and Vice-President.
Re-admitted members are treated as new members; previous seniority, records, or privileges are not reinstated.