The Madras High Court has granted an ad-interim injunction against the special/extraordinary general body meeting of All India Chess Federation (AICF) held on April 22, said the Federation.
“We are pleased to inform you that the Madras High Court by order dated 28.08.2020 had granted ad-interim injunction against the meeting conducted by the supporters of former Secretary Mr.Bharat Singh on 22 April, 2020,” Vijay Deshpande, Secretary, AICF said.
The AICF is split into two factions – one headed by President P.R. Venketrama Raja and the other by Secretary Bharat Singh Chauhan.
Sometime back Raja had sacked Chauhan and had appointed Deshpande as the Secretary. The sacking is disputed by Chauhan saying Raja has no powers to do that.
Setting up of a five-member committee to run AICF; declaration that three officials including Raja are no more office bearers; disaffiliation of three state chess associations are some of the decisions taken at the April 22, 2020 general body meeting that was called by several State Chess Associations.
The Madras High Court held that the calling and conduct of the meeting and the resolutions adopted are totally contrary to the bye-laws and the Act and granted an ad-interim injunction and posted the case for September 27.
According to Deshpande, the Court had come down heavily on Chauhan stating that the latter appears to have pushed his personal agenda of taking over the administration and control of AICF by removing the three member committee and substituting it with a five members committee.A
Deshpande said: “The Court had held that the meeting dated 22.04.2020 and the resolutions adopted therein are bad for the following reasons:
(i) Request for holding the Special General Body meeting is not as per the prescribed procedure.
(ii) Notice of meeting does not conform to the Bye-Laws and Act regarding the time limit and therefore the meeting held on the basis of this notice is invalid.
(iii) Notice not called for by the person authorized to do so by the Bye-Laws of the Federation.
(iv) The resolution passed are contrary to the Bye-Laws and the constitution of the Federation.
(v) The resolutions adopted in the meeting dated 22.04.2020 over turns the electoral body that had crystallized as on the date when this Court had passed the order for holding the election.”