The fight between All India Chess Federation (AICF) President P.R.Venketrama Raja and Secretary Bharat Singh Chauhan is turning out like blitz chess with each one making their moves and counter moves very fast.
Hours after Chauhan had called a Special Meeting of the AICF General Body at Gurugram near Delhi on 22 December, Raja on his part on Saturday called an Urgent Meeting of the General Body on 14 December in Chennai.
The business listed by Chauhan in the notice of the General Body called by him includes: exploring the possibilities of early elections in the AICF; discuss and decide on the mala fide show cause notice issued by Raja to Chauhan; discuss and decide about the letter from Sports Authority of India (SAI) and to adopt the chess in school project proposed by Chauhan.
The SAI in its letter dated 26 November, has asked the AICF to refund Rs 10 lakh, alleging that the utilisation certification submitted by the latter was a forged document and also asked Raja to set up a three-member enquiry committee to probe the issue and submit a report.
On the other hand Raja's notice has listed the following business at the Urgent Meeting: Matters relating to Bengal Chess Association (BCA); resignation of AICF Joint Secretary Atanu Lahiri (who is also the Secretary of BCA); discuss and decide on the show cause notice issued to Chauhan and appropriate resolution to be passed after deciding on the show cause notice to Chauhan.
- On November 30, Chauhan had called a meeting of AICF Central Council at Gurgaon on December 22.
- On December 6, Raja in a letter to Chauhan promptly cancelled the Central Council meeting and also issued the latter a show cause notice.
On his part, Chauhan told IANS that the Central Council meeting will go on as scheduled. Chauhan had also informed Raja that the Central Council meeting will be held as scheduled.
In a letter to Chauhan on December 6 Raja said the Central Council meeting called by the latter on December 22 was unauthorised and without his permission.
"No resolution purported to have been passed at such illegally conducted meeting would be valid and binding on the federation," Raja told Chauhan.
"As per legal requirements, you are specifically required to convene the meetings of the central council, among other things, on the direction of the President. I have not given any such direction to convene the meeting and you had gone ahead and called for the meeting which is ultra vires of your power as a Secretary," Raja's letter noted.
"The proposed agenda that was circulated by you was not sent for my approval and also not been approved by me. Such act of yours is unconstitutional and creates problems in the smooth working of the Federation, besides exceeding your authority," Raja told Chauhan.
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