The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday directed suspended Boxing Federation of India (BFI) secretary general Pramod Kumar to keep the General Body meeting scheduled for October 28 in abeyance until the next hearing on November 13, following a petition filed by the federation president Ajay Singh.
The order comes after World Boxing in an email dated October 23, emphasised that any National Federation General Meeting must be convened and conducted in accordance with the applicable BFI constitution.
Justice Tribhuvan Dahiya on Tuesday issued notice of motion for November 13 in BFI president’s petition, which challenges a notice dated October 8 proposing a no-confidence motion against him and convening a General Body meeting for that purpose.
“In the meanwhile, the second respondent is directed to keep the General Body meeting in abeyance till the next date of hearing,”the court said in its October 27 order.
The order records the petitioner’s contention that the BFI constitution permits the president’s removal only through a no-confidence motion supported by at least three-fourths of the General Body members at a meeting specially convened for the purpose. It also records his contention that a Special General Meeting can be convened only by the President or upon a request from two-thirds of the Executive Committee members.
BFI has cited Clause 33(ii), under which the president may call a Special General Meeting at his discretion or must cause one to be convened within 30 days following a written request from two-thirds of the Executive Council members. In this case, none of these conditions were met rendering the purported meeting called by the erstwhile Secretary General, unlawful.
The Federation also cited Clause 26(iii), which provides for the secretary general to convene General Council and Executive Council meetings only under the President’s advice.
BFI has also referred to the powers of the president to suspend under Clauses 24(xvi), 24(xxviii) and 24(xxxvi), alongside procedural safeguards. Clause 30 separately provides for the power of the president to suspend Executive Committee members, subject to requirements concerning a hearing, written reasons, ratification and appeal.
BFI has urged all members to take pride in India’s glorious success in our sport. It also requests members to follow the constitution of the BFI and comply with the orders of the High Court. BFI believes that members must desist from distractions and focus on Indian boxing’s dream of Olympic glory.
