His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta
Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acarya of the International Society for
Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), established the Governing Body
Commission (GBC) to be the ultimate managing authority for the society.
In ISKCON’s Direction of Management written on July 28, 1970, Srila
Prabhupada states:
As we have increased our volume of
activities, now I think a Governing Body Commission (hereinafter
referred to as the GBC) should be established. I am getting old, 75
years old, therefore at any time I may be out of the scene, therefore I
think it is necessary to give instruction to my disciples how they shall
manage the whole institution. They are already managing individual
centers represented by one president, one secretary and one treasurer,
and in my opinion they are doing nice. But we want still more
improvement in the standard of temple management, propaganda for Krishna
consciousness, distribution of books and literatures, opening of new
centers and educating devotees to the right standard.
Srila Prabhupada reaffirmed the position of the GBC in his final will drafted in June, 1977:
The Governing Body Commission (GBC) will be
the ultimate managing authority of the entire International Society for
Krishna Consciousness.
Through legal documents, training, and
discourse, Srila Prabhupada clearly identified the GBC as the highest
managerial body in ISKCON.
At present, the GBC body is comprised of
thirty-two members who are individually responsible for overseeing the
management and spiritual standards of ISKCON centers in assigned
geographic regions. GBC members also supervise specific projects,
initiatives, and ministries. Following the instructions of Srila
Prabhupada, the GBC body convenes yearly in Mayapur, West Bengal for
their Annual General Meeting, during which time they discuss proposals,
specific issues and projects within ISKCON, and pass resolutions by way
of a voting process.
