Association - Definition - Law Dictionary Home Dictionary Definition association

Definition :

Association, a writ or patent sent by the Crown to the justices appointed to take assizes to have others associated with them; it is usual where a judge becomes unable to attend to his circuit duties, or dies-Reg. Brev. 201. Also a company or partnership, q.v., and see SOCIETY.

Means an association of individuals, whether incorporated or not, having an office in India and includes a society, whether registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, or not, and any other organisation, by whatever name called. [Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 1976 (49 of 1976), s. 2 (1) (a)]

Means any combination or body of individuals. [Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967), s. 2 (a)]

Two vital elements of an association are members and a common purpose for which they associate. If an association is constituted under a statute; it can be dissolved only in accordance with that statute; if it is organised on the basis of a contract, then it can be dissolved only in accordance with the terms of the contract, commonly called the constitution. If the constitution provides for dissolution by the consent of all the members, the rule of decision by majority is excluded, Ramashankar Kaushik v. Election Commission of India, AIR 1974 SC 445 (453).