The Arbitration Committee Rules and Regulations Act, 2024

Implemented on a provisional basis by the Board on the account of a non-functional ArbCom.

Drafted and introduced to the Board by Sugeeth Jayaraj S.A., the liaison to the Board from the Election Committee and original founder of Project Troopers; on May 30, 2024 as applicable to the guidelines and laws in force on that date. This act will be empowered by the governing guidelines and be in force until an actual ArbCom is formed that can vote on this act. The Board of Directors will have voting power over this and will bring this into force, until the ArbCom is fully formed.

Introduction

1. This act, known as "The Arbitration Committee Rules and Regulations Act, 2024," has been provisionally enacted under the supervision of the Board of Directors, via Board Resolution #0010. The designated shorthand for this act will be "TACRR 2024."

2. This act will be applicable to all members of Project Troopers; and this act will deal with the processes of the Arbitration Committee, as empowered and enshrined by the Legal Stature of the Governing Guidelines.

3. The new act will be only applicable until the ArbCom is able to hold their first vote. The ArbCom's first order of business will be to either:-

   1. Amend this act in preferable ways to ensure compatibility with the mindset of the ArbCom, without changing the basic essence of this act.

   2. Allow this act to continue in its current form, and transfer the act to their purview. All clauses will be appropriately modified to refer to the Arbitration Committee where necessary.

By doing either of the above, they will automatically accept to remove this clause from the act.

1. The Arbitration Committee will be officially called the "Project Troopers Arbitration Committee" and will be abbreviated as "PTAC" or "ArbCom(PT)" or simply "ArbCom".

2. The Arbitration Committee will be an autonomous committee of Project Troopers. Once elected, they will be expected to discharge their duties fairly and honestly with interest for the project. The Arbitration Committee and its members are required to work as envisioned by the limits enshrined in the Legal Stature.

Purpose and Scope

1. Purpose: The Arbitration Committee (ArbCom) is established to resolve disputes within the Project Troopers community, enforce community policies, and ensure adherence to the project's legal requirements.

2. Scope: The ArbCom has the authority to adjudicate conflicts among community members, interpret project policies, and make binding decisions. The ArbCom operates independently and is the final arbiter of disputes. The ArbCom has the power to strike down amendments to the Governing Guidelines if they violate the original intent of the Legal Stature and take down content from the Project permanently.

Composition and Appointment

1. Composition: The ArbCom shall consist of a minimum of five and a maximum of nine members.

2. Eligibility: Members must be active participants in Project Troopers for at least one year and demonstrate a thorough understanding of the project's policies and legal requirements.

3. Appointment Process: Members are nominated by the community and appointed by a majority vote of existing ArbCom members; both elections would be conducted by the Election Committee. Terms are for three months, with staggered appointments to ensure continuity.

4. End of tenure: At the end of their tenure, they would be automatically considered as resigned from their posts and will cease to perform their duties.

5. Staggered appointments: The ArbCom cannot be entirely replaced at once. Only one-third of the ArbCom members may resign at a given time. Subsequent resignations can only occur once the vacant seats from the previous resignations have been filled.

6. Limits of Terms: Any member will only be allowed to hold the office only for 5 terms, after which they will automatically disqualify from the elections to the ArbCom. This clause in this act will automatically applicable to all members who were selected at least once while this act is in force; even if this clause is amended in the future.

7. Recusal and Replacement: Members will be automatically recused from cases where they have a conflict of interest. Temporary replacements can be appointed by a majority vote of the remaining members, if it is unable to carry out its duties effectively due to the recusals.

8. Liaison to the Board: The ArbCom is required to nominate an Arbitrator who will serve as a liaison between the Board of Directors and Arbitration Committee.

Chief Arbitrator

The head of the ArbCom will be selected by the members of the ArbCom in an internal election that will be organised by the Election Committee. He will be granted the title of Chief Arbitrator. He will responsible for distributing administrative duties among the Arbitrators, except for appointment of cases. He will have a tenure of 6 months.

Procedures

1. Case Submission: Disputes are submitted to the ArbCom in writing, detailing the issue, involved parties, and relevant evidence. The ArbCom itself can take up issues pertaining to the Project in public interest and goodwill of the Project.

2. Preliminary Review: The ArbCom conducts a preliminary review to determine if the case falls within its jurisdiction. If accepted, the case proceeds to a formal hearing; if not, the complainant is informed with reasons for the decision.

3. Hearing Process: Hearings may be conducted in writing, via teleconference, or in person. Both parties are given an opportunity to present their case, submit evidence, and respond to the other party’s claims.

4. Deliberation and Decision: After the hearing, the ArbCom deliberates in private. Decisions are made by majority vote and must be documented with clear reasoning and references to relevant policies and legal considerations.

5. Voting: No TEC decision can be implemented without at least three-fourths of the ArbCom voicing their opinion regarding it.

6. Confidentiality: All proceedings and deliberations are confidential, except for the final decision, which is publicly posted on the project’s official platform.

Transparency and Accountability

1. Transparency: While individual proceedings are confidential, the ArbCom shall provide annual reports summarizing the number and types of cases handled, decisions made, and any patterns or recurring issues identified.

2. Accountability: ArbCom members are accountable to the community and may be removed for misconduct or failure to perform duties by the Impeachment Protocol under this act.

Enforcement and Compliance

1. Binding Decisions: All ArbCom decisions are final and binding on all parties involved. Failure to comply with an ArbCom decision may result in sanctions, including suspension or expulsion from Project Troopers.

2. Sanctions: The ArbCom has the authority to impose appropriate sanctions, ranging from warnings to permanent bans, depending on the severity of the offense and the member’s prior conduct.

Legal Compliance

1. Legal Adherence: The ArbCom shall operate in full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations governing Project Troopers. This includes adhering to intellectual property laws, data protection regulations, and any other relevant legal statutes.

2. Legal Counsel: The ArbCom has the right to seek legal counsel when necessary to ensure decisions comply with the law. Legal advice should be documented and considered in the decision-making process.

Impeachment of an Arbitration Committee member

Impeachment of an Arbitration Committee (ArbCom) member can occur through any of the following mechanisms:

1. Internal ArbCom Findings: If the ArbCom, through a formal case review, determines that a member is incapable of fulfilling their duties due to mental incapacity or violation of the Governing Guidelines, appropriate actions will be taken. Minor offenses may result in a fine, while serious violations may lead to immediate termination from their position.

2. Two-Thirds Vote: A member can be impeached by a two-thirds majority vote of the remaining ArbCom members.

3. Board of Directors and Election Committee Review: The Board of Directors and/or the Election Committee can initiate an impeachment process. They will examine the member's activities for compliance with the Governing Guidelines. If violations are found, the member can be dismissed from their post, subject to approval by both the Election Committee and the Board of Directors.

4. Project Members: If a 85% majority of the members of the Project vote to impeach a member of the ArbCom, the member will undergo a review process by a specially formed Review Committee consisting of members of the TEC, Board, and Project admins. They will examine the member's activities for compliance with the Governing Guidelines. If violations are found, the member can be dismissed from their post by the Review Committee.

The details and proceedings must be properly documented in the Troopers Knowledge Hub.

Post-Impeachment Consequences

1. Permanent Disqualification: Impeached members are permanently disqualified from holding any position within the ArbCom, unless the dismissal was due to medical reasons. In such cases, the member may be eligible for re-election if the underlying medical condition is resolved.

2. Suspension During Investigation: Once charges are brought against a member, they will be suspended from participating in ArbCom affairs and automatically recused from decision-making duties until the matter is resolved.

Review and Amendments

1. Periodic Internal Review: The ArbCom rules and procedures shall be reviewed annually to ensure they remain effective and compliant with the legal framework of Project Troopers.

2. Power of ArbCom Review: The ArbCom has the power to subject any happenings of the Project into review.

3. Amendments: Amendments to these rules can be proposed by any ArbCom member and require a two-thirds majority vote of the ArbCom members. Any amendments must be publicly announced and take effect 30 days after the announcement. If any amendment aims to modify the basic essence of this act, then they must passed by the TEC and the Board of Directors.

End of Act.