#THE HINDI SAHITYA SAMMELAN ACT, 1962 
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##ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 
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SECTIONS
1.  Short title and commencement. 
2.  Declaration of the Hindi Sahitya Sammelan as an institution of national importance. 
3.  Definitions. 
4.  Incorporation. 
5.  Effect of incorporation of Sammelan. 
6.  Functions of Sammelan. 
7.  Governing Body. 
8.  First Governing Body and its duties. 
9.  Term of office and procedure of first Governing Body and allowances payable to members thereof. 
10.  First Governing Body to take over management of properties of Sammelan. 
11.  Determination of first members. 
12.  Rules to be made by the first Governing Body. 
13.  Elections to Governing Body. 
14.  Dissolution of first Governing Body. 
15.  Fund of the Sammelan. 
16.  Accounts and audit. 
17.  Power to make rule. 
18.  Acts and proceedings not to be invalidated by vacancies, etc. 
19.  Power to remove difficulties. 



#THE HINDI SAHITYA SAMMELAN ACT, 1962 

##ACT NO. 13 OF 1962 

[30th March, 1962.] 

An Act to declare the institution known as the Hindi Sahitya Sammelan having its head office at 
  Allahabad to be an institution of national importance and to provide for its incorporation and 
  matters connected therewith. 

  BE it enacted by Parliament in the Thirteenth Year of the Republic of India as follows:— 

1. **Short title and commencement.**—(1) This Act may be called The Hindi Sahitya Sammelan 
Act, 1962. 

(2) It  shall  come  into  force  on  such  date as  the  Central  Government  may,  by  notification  in  the 
Official Gazette, appoint. 

2. **Declaration of the Hindi Sahitya Sammelan as an institution of national 
importance.**—Whereas the objects of the institution known as the Hindi Sahitya Sammelan which has its 
head  office  at  Allahabad  are  such  as  to  make  the  institution  one  of  national  importance,  it  is  hereby 
declared that the institution known as the Hindi Sahitya Sammelan, is an institution of national importance. 

3. **Definitions.**—In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,— 

  (a) “appointed day” means the date on which this Act comes into force; 

  (b) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act; 

  (c) “Sammelan”  means  the  institution  known  as  the  Hindi  Sahitya  Sammelan,  incorporated  under 
this Act; 

  (d) “Society”  means  the  Hindi  Sahitya  Sammelan  which  has  its  head  office  at  Allahabad  and  is 
registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 (21 of 1960). 

4. **Incorporation.**—(1)  The  first  members  of  the  Sammelan  and  all  persons  who  may  hereafter 
become members thereof in accordance with the rules made in this behalf, so long as they continue to hold 
membership thereof, are hereby constituted a body corporate by the name of the Hindi Sahitya Sammelan. 

(2) The  Sammelan  shall  have  perpetual  succession  and  a  common  seal  with  power,  subject  to  the 
provisions of this Act, to acquire, hold and dispose of property and to contract and may by that name sue 
and be sued 

(3) The head office of the Sammelan shall be at Allahabad. 

(4) The first members of the Sammelan shall be— 

  (a) all persons who, immediately before the appointed day, were members of the Society; 

  (b) all persons who, before that day, have been Presidents of the Society; and 

  (c) all  persons  who,  before  that  day,  were  awarded  the  Mangla  Parshad  Paritoshik  by 
the Society. 

5. **Effect of incorporation of Sammelan.**—On and from the appointed day, 

  (a) any  reference  to  the  Society  in  any  law  (other  than  this  Act)  or  in  any  contract  or  other 
instrument shall be deemed as a reference to the Sammelan; 

  (b) all property, movable or immovable, of  the Society shall be the property of the Sammelan; 

  (c) all rights and liabilities of the Society shall be the rights and liabilities of the 
Sammelan; and 

  (d) every  person  employed  for  the  Society  immediately  before  the  appointed  day  shall  hold  his 
office  or  service  in the  Sammelan  by  the  same  tenure,  at the  same  remuneration  and  upon  the same 
terms and conditions and with the same rights and privileges as to pension, leave, gratuity, provident 
fund  and  other  matters  as  he  would  have  held  the  same  if  this  Act  had  not  been  passed,  and  shall 
continue  to  do  so  unless  and  until  his  appointment  is  terminated  or  until  his  tenure  or  terms  and 
conditions are duly altered by the rules made in this behalf: 

  Provided that if the alteration so made is not acceptable to any such employee, his employment may be 
terminated  by  the  Sammelan  in  accordance  with  the  terms  of  the  contract  with  the  employee  or,  if  no 
provision is made therein in this behalf, on payment to him by the Sammelan of compensation equivalent 
to three month’s remuneration in the case of permanent employees and one  month’s remuneration in the 
case of permanent employees. 

6. **Functions of Sammelan.**—Subject to the provisions of this Act and the rules made thereunder, the 
Sammelan shall perform the following functions, namely:— 

  (a) to  promote  the  spread  of  Hindi  language  and  to  develop  it  and  secure  its  enrichment  in  the 
manner indicated in Article 351 of the Constitution; 

  (b) to  work  for  the  promotion,  development  and  advancement  of  Hindi  literature  in  India  and 
foreign countries and to print and publish such literature; 

  (c) to  work  for  the  promotion,  development  and advancement  of  Devanagari  script, and to  print 
and publish literature of other Indian languages in Devanagari script; 

  (d) to arrange for the holding of examinations through the medium of Hindi language and to confer 
degrees, diplomas and other academic distinctions; 

  (e) to  establish  and  maintain  schools,  colleges  and  other  institutions  for  instruction  in  Hindi 
language  and  Hindi  literature  and  also  to  affiliate  schools,  colleges  and  other  institutions  for  its 
examinations; 

  (f) to  affiliate  institutions  having  for  their  object  the  promotion  of  Hindi  language  and 
Hindi literature; 

  (g) to award honorary degrees and other academic distinctions to persons who may have rendered 
distinguished service to the cause of Hindi; 

  (h) to institute and award prizes (Partioshiks) to distinguished scholars in Hindi; 

  (i) to promote and encourage research in Hindi language and Hindi literature; 

  (j) to co-operate with other institutions having objects similar to those of the Sammelan, in such 
manner as may be conducive to their common objects; 

  (k) to  receive  gifts,  grants,  donations  or  benefactions  from  the  Government  and  to  receive 
bequests,  donations  or  transfers  of  moveable  and  immoveable  properties  from  testators,  donors  or 
transferors, as the case may be; 

  (l) to  deal  with  any  property  belonging  to  or  vested  in  the  Sammelan  in  such  manner  as  the 
Sammelan may deem fit for advancing the objects of the Sammelan: 

  (m) with the approval of the Central Government, to borrow on the security of the property of the 
Sammelan money for the purposes of the Sammelan, 

  (n) to perform such other functions as may be deemed necessary by the Sammelan for advancing 
the cause of Hindi language and Hindi literature or as may be necessary, incidental or conducive to the 
performance of all or any of the above functions. 

7. **Governing Body.**—(1) The general superintendence, direction and management of the affairs of the 
Sammelan shall vest in a Governing Body, by whatever name called. 

(2) The Governing Body shall consist of such number of persons not exceeding fifty-five as the Central 
Government may from time to time determine, of whom not more than seven shall be nominated by the 
Central  Government  from  among  educationists  of  repute  or  eminent  Hindi  scholars,  and  the  remaining 
members shall be chosen in accordance with the rules made in this behalf. 

(3) Subject to the provisions of this Act, the powers and functions of the Governing Body, the term of 
office  of,  and  the  allowances,  if  any,  payable  to  members  thereof,  the  procedure  to  be  followed  by  the 
Governing  Body  for  the  transaction  of  its  business,  the  quorum  necessary  therefore  and  the  manner  of 
filling casual vacancies among the members thereof shall be such as may be prescribed. 

8. **First Governing Body and its duties.**—(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in section 7, the 
Central  Government  may,  by  notification  in  the  Official  Gazeette  constitute  the  first  Governing  Body 
consisting of a Chairman, a Secretary, and thirteen other members to be appointed by that Government. 

(2) The thirteen members referred to in sub-section (1) shall be chosen as follows:— 

  (i) one member to represent the Ministry of the Central Government dealing with education; 

  (ii) one member to represent the Ministry of the Central Government dealing with finance; 

  (iii) not more than three members from among the former Presidents of the Society; and 

  (iv) the  remaining  number  from  among  persons  who  are.  in  the  opinion  of  the  Central 
Government, eminent in the field of Hindi language or Hindi literature. 

(3) It shall be the duty of the first Governing Body of the Sammelan,— 

  (a) to perform all functions of the Sammelan and to carry on the administration of the affairs of the 
Sammelan until a Governing Body is constituted in accordance with the provisions of section 7; 

  (b) to make the rules with the approval of the Central Government; 

  (c) to  determine  the  first  members  of  the  Sammelan  within  the  meaning  of  sub-section  (4) 
of section 4; 

  (d) to  take  all  necessary  steps  for  the  constitution  of  the  Governing  Body  in  accordance  with 
such rules; 

  (e) to perform such other functions as it may consider necessary. 

9. **Term of  office  and  procedure  of  first  Governing  Body  and  allowances  payable  to  members 
thereof.**—(1) Subject to the provisions of section 14, the members of the first Governing Body shall hold 
office during the pleasure of the Central Government. 

(2) All  questions  at  a  meeting  of  the  first  Governing  Body  shall  be  decided  by  a  majority  of  the 
members present thereof, and in the case of an equality of votes the Chairman or, in his absence, any other 
person presiding, shall have a second or casting vote. 

(3) The quorum to constitute a meeting of the first Governing Body shall be five members. 

(4) The members shall be paid out of the Fund of the Sammelan such salary or allowances or both 
may be prescribed and until so prescribed, as may be specified by the Central Government in this be halt. 

10. **First  Governing  Body to take over  management of properties of Sammelan.**—
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any other law for the time being in 
force  or  in  any  order  of  a  court,  the  first  Governing  Body  shall  take  over  the  management,  control  and 
administration of all the properties vested in the Sammelan. 

11. **Determination of first members.**—(1) The first Governing Body shall, as soon as may be, cause 
to be prepared, subject to such instructions, it any, as it may receive from the Central Government, a list of 
all persons who are to be considered as first members of the Sammelan within the meaning of sub-section 
(4) of section 4. 

(2) The list shall be published in such manner as may be directed by the Central Government. 

(3) If at any time after the publication in the list of first members under sub-section (2), it appears to 
the first Governing Body that the name of any person has been wrongly omitted from, or wrongly entered 
in the list, it may order such name to be inserted or omitted from that list and the list shall be amended 
accordingly: 

  Provided that no order omitting the name of any person from the list shall be made unless that person 
has been given a reasonable opportunity of showing cause against such omission. 

(4) No persons other than the persons named in the list prepared under this section shall be considered 
as first members of the Sammelan within the meaning of sub-section (4) of section 4. 

12. **Rules to be made by the first Governing Body.**—(1) The first Governing Body shall, as soon as 
may be, make rules in respect of the following matters, namely:— 

  (a) the  matters  relating  to  membership,  including  the  qualifications  and  disqualifications  for 
membership of the Sammelan; 

  (b) the powers and functions of the Governing Body; the term of office of, and the allowances, if 
any,  payable  to,  members  thereof;  the  procedure  to  be  followed  by  the  Governing  Body  for  the 
transaction of its business, the quorum necessary therefore and the manner of filling casual vacancies 
among the members thereof; 

  (c) the conduct of elections for the constitution of the Governing Body and the decisions on doubts 
and disputes at or in connection with the said elections; 

  (d) the  appointment  of  an  executive  committee  or  any  other  committee  for  carrying  on  the 
functions  of  the  Governing  Body  or  of  the  Sammelan;  the  constitution,  powers  and  duties  of  such 
committees and the allowances, if any, payable to the members thereof; 

  (e) the procedure and the forms for the maintenance of books of accounts and other registers and 
statements for the purposes of this Act; 

  (f) the appointment, control and other conditions of service of the employees of the Sammelan; 

  (g) the conduct of correspondence, execution of documents and contracts for or on behalf of the 
Sammelan; 

  (h) the conduct and prosecution of suits and proceedings by or against the Sammelan; 

  (i) the  matters  relating  to  the  affiliation  of  schools,  colleges,  and  other  institutions  with  the 
Sammelan; 

  (j) the matters relating to the award of degrees and academic distinctions by the Sammelan: 

  (k) the matters relating to the award of prizes (Paritoshiks) by the Sammelan; 

  (l) the procedure for the amendment of the rules; 

  (m) such other matters as may be necessary for the performance of the functions of the Sammelan. 

(2) A draft of the rules proposed to be made under sub-section (1) shall be forwarded to the Central 
Government for approval and that Government may approve the same with or without modifications. 

(3) No  rules  made  under  this  section  shall  have  effect  until  they  are  approved  by  the  Central 
Government  and  are  published  by  the  first  Governing  Body  in  such  manner  as  the  Central  Government 
may, by order direct. 

(4) A copy of the rules so made shall be laid, as soon as may be after they are made before each House 
of Parliament 

13. **Elections to Governing Body.**—The  first  Governing  Body  shall,  within  six  months  of  its 
constitution or within such further period as may be specified by the Central Government, arrange to hold 
elections to the Governing Body in accordance with the provisions of the rules made under section 12 and 
take such further steps as may be necessary for its due constitution within the period specified as aforesaid. 

14. **Dissolution of first Governing Body.**—On  the  constitution  of  the  Governing  Body  under 
section 7 in accordance with the rules made under section 12, the first Governing Body shall cease to exist 
and stand dissolved. 

15. **Fund of the Sammelan.**—(1) The Sammelan shall maintain a Fund to which shall be credited— 

  (a) all fees and other charges received by the Sammelan; 

  (b) all  moneys  received  by  the  Sammelan  by  way  of  grants,  gifts,  donations,  benefactions, 
bequests or transfers; and 

  (c) all moneys received by the Sammelan in any other manner or from any other source. 

(2) The Fund shall be applied towards meeting the expenses of the Sammelan in the performance of its 
functions under this Act, including allowances, if any, payable to the members of the Governing Body or 
of any Committee and the salaries and allowances, if any, of the employees of the Sammelan. 

16. **Accounts and audit.**—(1)  The  Sammelan  shall  maintain  proper  accounts  and  other  relevant 
records and prepare an annual statement of accounts including the balance-sheet in such form as may be 
prescribed. 

(2) The  accounts  of  the  Sammelan  shall,  once  at  least  in  every  year,  be  audited  by  a  chartered 
accountant  in  practice  within  the  meaning  of  the  Chartered  Accountants  Act,  1949,  to  be  appointed 
annually by the Sammelan; 

  Provided  that  no  member  of  the  Sammelan  who  is  a  chartered  accountant  or  a  person  who  is  in 
partnership with such member shall be eligible for appointment as an auditor under this section. 

(3) Every  auditor  shall,  in  the  performance  of  his  duties,  have  at  all  reasonable  times  access  to  the 
books, accounts and other documents of the Sammelan. 

(4) As  soon  as  may  be  practicable  at  the  end  of  each  year,  the  audited  accounts  of  the  Sammelan 
together with the audit report shall be forwarded to the Central Government. 

17. **Power to make rule.**—(1) The Governing Body may, from time to time, make rules for carrying 
out the purposes of this Act and such rules may amend or repeal the rules made under section 12. 

(2) No  rules  made  under  this  section  shall  have  effect  until  they  are  approved  by  the  Central 
Government and are published by the Governing Body in the prescribed manner. 

18. **Acts and proceedings not to be invalidated by vacancies, etc.**—No act of the Sammelan, or of 
the Governing Body, or of any other body set up under the rules made in this behalf shall be invalid merely 
by reason of— 

  (a) any vacancy therein, or defect in the constitution thereof, or 

  (b) any  defect  in  the  election,  nomination  or  appointment  of  a  person  acting  as  a  member 
thereof, or 

  (c) any irregularity in its procedure not affecting the merits of the case. 

19. **Power to remove difficulties.**—If  any  difficulty arises  in  giving  effect  to  the  provisions  of this 
Act, the Central Government may, by order published in the Official Gazette, make such provision or give 
such directions not inconsistent with the purposes of this Act, as appears to it to be necessary or expedient 
for removing the difficulty.