New Zealand Sikh Youth - Charitable Trust Deed

The Aotearoa New Zealand Sikh Youth was incorporated under the Charitable Trusts Act 1957 on the 1st day of July 2026. Incorporation number: 70000599

Aotearoa New Zealand Sikh Youth
Charitable Trust Deed

as of 15 April 2026

Preamble

We, the Sikh youth of New Zealand, organised the New Zealand Sikh Youth on 12 July 2020.

Whereas members of the Aotearoa New Zealand Sikh Youth guided by Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji and the Khalsa recognise the universal order of ੴ and the rule of law:

This Deed is made the 15th day of April 2026

Between

(1) Balkaran Singh of Auckland, student, member of the Review Committee

(2) Jagbir Singh Chahal of Auckland, businessperson, Chairperson of the Review Committee

(3) Karanjot Singh of Hamilton, student, President of the New Zealand Sikh Youth

(4) Manvir Singh Mann of Auckland, businessperson, member of the Review Committee

(5) Simarjot Kaur of Auckland, student, Secretary of the New Zealand Sikh Youth

Whereas

(1) the parties to this Deed resolve to establish a charitable trust under the provisions of the Charitable Trusts Act 1957 for the purposes described in Section 3 of this Deed; and

(2) the parties to this deed have agreed to contribute the sum of one dollar each to establish the Trust; and

(3) they have agreed to enter into this Deed specifying the purposes of the Trust and providing for its control and government; and

(4) the Executive Committee and the Review Committee have consented to this incorporation and have agreed that the President, the Secretary and the members of the Review Committee shall constitute the Board of Trustees.

1 Name

The name of the charitable trust board is the Aotearoa New Zealand Sikh Youth.

2 Title

This document may be cited as the Aotearoa New Zealand Sikh Youth Charitable Trust Deed.

Part 1
Preliminary

3 Purposes

Whereas a Sikh leads a personal and public life that encompasses spiritual, professional and community aspects:

(1) The purposes of the Aotearoa New Zealand Sikh Youth as a representative organisation of the Sikh youth in New Zealand are to:

(a) promote the text and teachings of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji and the ten Sikh Gurus from Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji to Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji; and

(b) advance the development of young Sikhs in the fields of education, professional careers, politics, democracy, bureaucracy and media through training, skill-building and public engagement; and

(d) discourage adultery, fornication, femicide and the use of harmful drugs or intoxicants among Sikhs; and

(e) empower young Sikhs to constructively participate in society and make effective contributions; and

(f) encourage healthy and sustainable lifestyles that enhance quality of life and minimise environmental impact; and

(g) facilitate training focused on discipline, safety and the use of reasonable force for self-defence and the defence of others; and

(h) foster open and cooperative communication with government and non-governmental organisations, bureaucrats, politicians, media, Sikh leaders and organisations, academics and intellectuals, think tanks and influencers in society to inform them of the interests and aspirations of Sikh youth and people; and

(i) guide and influence Sikh youth in leading a family life with a Sikh spouse and children and in becoming initiated into the Khalsa; and

(j) motivate the regular use and development of the Panjabi language written in Gurmukhi; and

(k) offer support and relief to people in need and motivate voluntary service among Sikh youth, reflecting the Sikh principle of selfless service; and

(l) organise and host events and community engagement; and

(m) preserve, exhibit and publish works related to the Sikhs; and

(n) promote arts, culture, education and sports within Sikhs, including traditional Sikh music and martial arts inherited from the Gurus; and

(o) strengthen the relationship between Sikhs and the general public; and

(p) support Sikhs in securing a livelihood and accessing all public services necessary for a quality life; and

(q) uphold the Sikh people’s right to self-determination; by virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.

(2) Any income, benefit or advantage must be used to advance the purposes of the Organisation.

(3) No member or associated person is allowed to take part in, or influence any decision made by the Organisation in respect of payments to, or on behalf of, the member or associated person of any income, benefit or advantage.

(4) Any payments made to a member or associated person must be for goods and services that advance the purposes and must be reasonable and relative to payments that would be made between unrelated parties.

4 Interpretation

In this Deed, unless the context requires otherwise, the following

words and phrases have the following meanings:

Board of Trustees means the governing body of the Trust, responsible for its overall governance and compliance with this Deed and all applicable laws

Charitable Trust Deed, Trust Deed or Deed means this document

Constitution means the New Zealand Sikh Youth Constitution

Executive Committee refers to the Constitutional executive branch of the New Zealand Sikh Youth

General Assembly refers to either an Annual General Assembly or a Special General Assembly of the Organisation

Sri Guru Granth Sahib refers to the central sacred scripture, finalised and declared as the Guru by Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji and revered by Sikhs as the final, sovereign and eternal Guru

notice to Trustees includes any notice given by post, courier or

email; and the failure for any reason of any member to receive such notice or information shall not invalidate any meeting or its proceedings

Organisation refers to the Aotearoa New Zealand Sikh Youth

President means an elected or appointed head of the Executive Committee and the Organisation in accordance with the Constitution

Review Committee refers to the constitutional supervisory branch of the New Zealand Sikh Youth

Secretary means elected or appointed member of the Executive Committee in accordance with the Constitution

Sikh means a person who faithfully believes in—

(a) One Immortal Being; and

(b) ten Gurus, from Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji to Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji; and

(d) the utterance and teachings of the ten Gurus; and

(e) the amrit prescribed by Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji; and

(f) no faith other than the Sikh faith

Trust means the Aotearoa New Zealand Sikh Youth charitable trust board established by this Charitable Trust Deed

Trustee means a member of the Board of Trustees

5 Registered office

The registered office of the Trust shall be at a place in New Zealand as determined by the Board of Trustees and any changes to the registered office shall be promptly notified to interested parties.

6 Power concerning money

(1) The Trust has the power to borrow money.

(2) In addition to its statutory powers, the Trust—

(a) may use its funds to pay the costs and expenses to advance or carry out its purposes and to employ or contract with such people as may be appropriate, and

(b) may invest in any investment in which a trustee may lawfully invest.

7 Official languages

Panjabi in Gurmukhi and the official language(s) of New Zealand are the official languages of the Organisation, without restricting the use of other languages as necessary.

Part 2
General Assembly

8 General Assembly

A General Assembly shall be convened in accordance with the procedures prescribed in the New Zealand Sikh Youth Constitution for the purpose of electing the Executive Committee and Review Committee, from which the Trustees shall be appointed.

Part 3
Sri Akal Takhat

Whereas the Sri Akal Takhat, founded by Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji in Amritsar and represented by its head, serves as the historic central authority for Sikhs worldwide:

9 Authority of the Sri Akal Takhat

(1) The Sri Akal Takhat or its authorised representative(s) may intervene in any internal dispute or matter related to the Organisation's governance. Any decision or directive issued by the Akal Takhat on internal disputes or governance shall be final and binding on the Organisation.

(2) If the Sri Akal Takhat deems it necessary, it may issue an order or recommendation pertaining to the Organisation’s activities, which the Board of Trustees must comply with.

Part 4
Board of Trustees

10 Composition of Board of Trustees

(1) The Board of Trustees will consist of at least 5 and no more than 7 Trustees who are:

(a) a member of the Executive Committee; or

(b) a member of the Review Committee; and

(d) not disqualified by this Deed.

(2) The Board of Trustees will include:

(a) the President; and

(b) the Secretary; and

11 Functions and powers

Subject to this Deed and resolution of any General Assembly, the Board of Trustees may enter into contracts on behalf of the Organisation or may delegate this authority to a Trustee, or another entity, in circumstances where the Executive Committee is unable to exercise that power due to legal constraints.

12 Term of office

A Trustee shall remain in office for the duration of their membership on the Executive Committee or the Review Committee and for as long as they hold any position required of them under this Deed.

13 Cessation of Board of Trustees membership

A Trustee shall be deemed to have ceased to be a Trustee if that person ceases to be a member of the Executive Committee or the Review Committee in accordance with the Constitution.

14 Mandatory duties

(1) At all times each Trustee:

(a) shall act in good faith and in what he or she believes to be the best interests of the Organisation,

(b) must exercise all powers for a proper purpose,

(d) when exercising powers or performing duties, a Trustee must act with the care and diligence that a reasonable person in similar circumstances would exercise. This includes considering the nature of the Organisation, the decision being made and the Trustee’s position and responsibilities,

(e) must not agree to activities that create a substantial risk of serious loss to the Organisation or its creditors, and

(f) must not agree to the Organisation incurring an obligation unless he or she believes at that time on reasonablegrounds that the Organisation will be able to perform the obligation when it is required to do so.

Part 5
Board of Trustees meetings

15 Chairing

The Board of Trustees shall elect or dismiss a chairperson from among themselves, who shall convene and chair meetings of the Board of Trustees, whether held in person or by real-time audio, audio-visual or electronic communication.

16 Decision making procedure

All matters shall, where possible, be decided by consensus, in accordance with the resolutions of a General Assembly and taking into consideration the views of the Executive Committee and, where relevant, the Sikh people and the general public of New Zealand. If consensus cannot be reached, a decision shall be made by a majority vote.

17 Meeting minutes

The chairperson shall be responsible for ensuring that accurate minutes of each meeting are recorded and maintained. A copy of meeting minutes shall be distributed to all Trustees.

18 Quorum

The quorum for meetings of the Board of Trustees shall be at least two-thirds of the Trustees and must include either the President or the Secretary, or both.

Part 6
Finance

19 Control and management

(1) The funds and property of the Organisation shall be:

(a) controlled, invested and disposed of by the Board of Trustees, in circumstances where the Executive Committee is unable to do so due to legal constraints; and

(b) devoted solely to the promotion of the charitable purposes of the Organisation.

(2) The Board of Trustees shall not proceed with any transaction at or exceeding the amount determined at a General Assembly by a two-thirds majority. This includes any transaction that:

(a) incurs debit; or

(b) sells any asset; or

20 Balance date

The Trust's financial year shall commence on 1 July of each year and end on 30 June, the latter date being the Trust’s balance date.

Part 5
Board of Trustees meetings

21 Mediation and arbitration

(1) Any dispute arising out of or relating to this Deed shall be initially referred to the Chairperson of the Review Committee. If the complaint is not resolved, the matter may then proceed to mediation, which is a non-binding dispute resolution process in which an independent mediator facilitates negotiation between the parties.

(2) Mediation may be initiated by either party giving written notice to the other party, identifying the dispute proposed for mediation. The receiving party shall either agree to proceed with mediation or agree to attend a preliminary meeting with the mediator to discuss whether mediation would be helpful in the circumstances.

(3) The parties shall agree on a suitable person to act as mediator or may alternatively request an organisation specialising in mediation and arbitration to appoint a mediator. The mediation shall be conducted in accordance with a fair and impartial protocol.

(4) The mediation shall be terminated by:

(a) the signing of a settlement agreement by the parties; or

(b) notice to the parties by the mediator, after consultation with the parties, to the effect that further efforts at mediation are no longer justified; or

(c) notice by one or more of the parties to the mediation to the effect that further efforts at mediation are no longer justified; or

(d) the expiry of sixty working days from the mediator’s appointment, unless the parties expressly consent to an extension of this period.

22 Intervention of the Sri Akal Takhat

(1) Any internal dispute that remains unresolved after consideration by the Chairperson of the Review Committee and after completion of mediation and arbitration processes shall be referred to the Sri Akal Takhat for intervention.

(2) The decision of the Sri Akal Takhat shall be final and binding upon all Trustees and shall not be subject to any further internal dispute processes.

Part 8
Trustee liability

23 Limitation of liability

The Trustees of the Aotearoa New Zealand Sikh Youth as a charitable trust board, registered under New Zealand law, shall be subject to the following provisions:

(1) Each Trustee shall be chargeable only in respect of the money and securities actually received by them, or which they would have received but for their own acts, omissions, neglect or default, notwithstanding that they may have signed any receipt for the sake of conformity.

(2) Each Trustee shall be answerable solely for their own acts, receipts, omissions, neglect and defaults, and not for those of any other Trustee, nor for any banker, broker, auctioneer or other person with whom, or into whose hands, any Trust money or security is properly deposited or has come.

(3) No Trustee shall be personally liable for the maintenance, repair, insurance or any charges relating to Trust property.

(4) No Trustee shall be liable for any loss arising from any cause whatsoever, including any breach of the duties under New Zealand law, unless such loss is attributable to:

(a) their own dishonesty, wilful misconduct, or gross negligence; or

(b) their wilful commission of an act known by them to be a breach of trust.

(5) No Trustee shall be required to take proceedings against a co-Trustee for any breach or alleged breach of trust committed by that co-Trustee.

(6) No Trustee shall be liable for any loss suffered by the Trust fund arising from the retention of any asset forming part of the trust fund.

Part 9
Winding up

The Aotearoa New Zealand Sikh Youth as a charitable trust board, incorporated under the provisions of the Charitable Trusts Act 1957 may be wound up, liquidated or removed from the register in accordance with the provisions of this Deed.

24 Process

(1) Any resolution to wind up the Trust and to disincorporate it must be made by a resolution passed by a two-thirds majority

of all members of the Executive Committee and the Review Committee or by a two-thirds majority resolution of a General Assembly.

(2) Where the winding up of the Trust and its disincorporation is resolved, the President and the Chairperson of the Review Committee must issue a countersigned written resolution certifying that the decision was made by a two-thirds majority.

25 Surplus assets

If the Trust is wound up, or liquidated or removed from a register, no distribution shall be made to any Trustee. If any property remains after settling the Trust's debts and liabilities, that property must be given or transferred to another organisation with similar

charitable purpose(s).

Part 10
Alterations to the Deed

26 Amending or replacing this Deed

1) The Organisation may amend or replace this Deed by a signed resolution passed by a two-thirds majority of all members of the Executive Committee and the Review Committee or by a two-thirds majority of a General Assembly.

(2) When an amendment is approved it shall be provided to any interested parties within 3 months of the date of the amendment. The updated Deed shall be made accessible to members.

Part 11
Miscellaneous provisions

27 Common seal

(1) The common seal of the Organisation must be kept in the custody of the chairperson.

(2) The common seal may be affixed to any document:

(a) by resolution of the Trust and must be countersigned by two Trustees: or

(b) by such other means as the Board of Trustees may resolve from time to time.

28 Contact person

(1) The Trust’s contact officer must be:

(a) a Sikh; and

(b) at least 18 years of age; and

(2) Any changes in the contact officer’s details must be communicated to interested parties within 25 clear days.