The Council on Legislation (COL) is Rotary International's legislative body, often described as its "parliament." It meets every three years to review and vote on proposed changes to the constitutional documents that govern Rotary International and Rotary clubs worldwide. These documents include the Constitution of Rotary International, the Bylaws of Rotary International, and the Standard Rotary Club Constitution. Approximately 520 Council members from around the world (over 130 countries)  each representing a single Rotary district, attend the Council. Only one person is permitted per District.  RI Board of Directors, Rotary Foundation Trustees also attend the council (as Non Voting Members).

The first COL took place in 1934. It met annually in conjunction with the Rotary International Convention until 1954, when it switched to meeting every other year. In 1974, the COL became a triennial meeting, which it still is today. For decades, the COL was held in different cities all over the world, from Monte Carlo, Monaco to Caracas, Venezuela. That stopped in 2001 when representatives voted to hold the event in Chicago, to be close to Rotary’s headquarters.

The Council on Legislation is a crucial part of Rotary's governance. It provides a platform for grassroots Rotarians to have a voice in shaping the future of the organization and ensuring that Rotary's rules and structures remain relevant and adaptable to changing times. Attending a COL is a matter or prestige and pride. One gets to experience true Internationality of Rotary and during deliberations understand issues in Different Countries. Past Councils have addressed significant issues such as the admission of women into Rotary clubs and Rotary's commitment to polio eradication. The outcomes of each Council reflect the priorities and perspectives of the Rotary membership at that time.

About COL 2025

The 2025 Council is considering 78 proposals to change Rotary International's constitutional documents. We deliberated for 4 days on all of them. Some proposals were proposed from India . Proposal from RID 3131 was referred to Rotary Foundation for further action,

Delegates are allocated seating, and for the first three days it is alphabetically by your first name. My neighbours were Deepak Gupta from Delhi and Denis from Brazil. The first session was an orientation session, including an overview of the equipment being used and saw the presentation of Rotary International’s Five-Year Forecast and an update on the Rotary International Action Plan.

As we were reminded by Rotary International President Stephanie Urchick today, "it is an opportunity where voices from around the globe come together not to compete but to collaborate on what is best for the entire global family."

We covered all areas of Rotary viz Club Administration, District Roles, RI Leadership, Finances, Rotaract, membership, Community Service etc.

 Highlights of Outcome of COL 2025

•  To amend the purpose of Rotary clubs. The proposal sought to replace “service projects” with “community service projects” as one of the purposes of clubs. The voting result was 287 Yes, 184 No. The legislation was adopted.

 

• To reduce the number of members required to charter a new club . Existing 20 to 15.

 

• To amend the diversity of membership clauses. RI values diversity, equity, and inclusion in all its clubs but has a gap in its constitutional documents by omitting biological sex, inadvertently allowing single-sex clubs. This proposal emphasizes the need to recognize both biological sex and a spectrum of gender identities in order to truly embody inclusion, urging clubs to accept all members and maintain the organization’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

 

• To authorize the RI Board to instruct a club to terminate the membership of a Rotarian or Rotaractor whose conduct harms Rotary’s reputation.

 

• To provide for the non-political nature of RI. Clubs, Districts and RI should not get involved in Religious and Political issues.

 

• Proposal to set Age Limit for Rotaract was Defeated.

 

• Increase per capita dues. This enactment will raise per capita dues as follows: US$41.00 per half year in 2025–26, US$42.75 per half year in 2026–27, US$44.63 per half year in 2027–28, and US$46.50 per half year in 2028–29, and thereafter.

 

• Proposal to permit Clubs having 12 plus members Voting Rights was Defeated. We were told that 6300 clubs worldwide have less than 13 members (A matter of Deep Concern). They are in Every District

 

• District Conference is now non Mandatory. It is now removed as a Duty of District Governor. It seems in many Districts in West , not more than 30 people attend. In Our Country this is not the case.

 

I could get chance to participate in debates on 2 occasion . For me personally it’s a wonderful reminder of the true internationality of Rotary and one of the reasons Rotary started – friendship, as I catch up with amazing friends from all over the Rotary world.

 

It is truly  a lifetime memory for me which I will cherish for many decades.

 

PDG Rtn. Dr Deepak Shikarpur (Council Representative of RID3131)