The central council of the National Sports Club of India (NSCI) has by an overwhelming majority overturned the decision of the club president Pankaj Khandelwal to impose “emergency.” According to a letter sent on Whatsapp by the Mumbai regional secretary of the club Atul Maru, 52 of the 59 members of the general council disapproved of the conduct of Khandelwal.
The letter alleged that certain high-handed office-bearers were trying to peddle false narratives with a view to pressurise the club.
The letter said the executive committee , which is the governing body of the club had at its meeting on December 4, unanimously resolved to hold the 47 th annual general meeting at New Delhi. This decision was also published in certain newspapers on December 5. The decision to hold the 47 th AGM at New Delhi was therefore, informed to all members and the general public sufficiently in advance.
Despite sufficient notice, it was only on February 5, Gautam Dutta,
a member of NSCI, became purportedly aggrieved with the decision of the
executive committee, and issued a notice, alleging contempt of the Delhi
High Court’s order, when in fact there was none. This was explained to Dutta by NSCI’s letter dated February 11, issued through its advocates, by which NSCI also agreed to address Mr. Dutta’s grievances regarding making the record of the proceedings before the Hon’ble Delhi High Court available to the members of NSCI.
Maru said despite the fair response of NSCI, Khandelwal, “acting unilaterally and without consulting the members of the executive Committee, or any other constituted body of NSCI, proceeded to erroneously invoke the powers of the president under Rules 96-98 of the Memorandum and Rules and Regulations of the Club, and declared an emergency, whereunder Mr. Khandelwal sought to override the decision of the executive committee, and change the date and venue of the 47 th AGM.”
Sanjay Berry, secretary-general, “without consulting the members of the executive committee, or any other constituted body of NSCI, in his letter to Mr. T.C. Krishnaswamy and Mr. Ashim Khanna, CEOs of the Mumbai and Delhi region respectively, cancelled the 47 th AGM as decided by the executive committee, and declared that it would be held at Mumbai, and was deferred till further notice.”
Krishnaswamy and Khanna issued separate letters to
Khandelwal and Berry, detailing the reasons behind the executive committee’s decision, and highlighting that under the Rules and Regulations of NSCI, the executive committee was the governing body of NSCI, and the president and secretary-general general secretary were bound to implement its decisions. “Copies of these letters were also marked to all members of the executive committee, two-thirds of whom reiterated their view that the 47 th AGM ought to be held as per the decision of the executive committee,” the letter noted.
However, Khandelwal, again issued a communication dated February 13,
reiterating his decision to declare an emergency, which is based on a flawed interpretation of the rules and regulations of NSCI.
Maru said “the Central Council of NSCI has taken a strict view of the….. conduct of Khandelwal and Berry, and in view of the same, have moved resolutions which inter alia hold [i] that the directions issued by Khandelwal, were in wrongful exercise of the powers conferred upon the President, and were therefore disapproved and set aside; [ii] that the directions issued by Mr. Berry to Krishnaswamy and Khanna were also disapproved and set aside; [iii] that Mr. Khandelwal’s declaration of the emergency was wrongly invoked and therefore, disapproved and set aside.”
The Central Council has also passed a resolution that “all communications issued by Khandelwal and Berry with regard to the 47 th AGM ought to be ignored and disregarded, and that no action would be taken pursuant thereto, and also confirmed the decision of the executive committee to hold the 47 th AGM at New Delhi…”
Maru said Khandelwal has purportedly filed a complaint with the Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi Police (the “EoW”) against certain members of NSCI, including its office bearers. It is crucial to note that the balance sheet of NSCI for the relevant Financial Year, upon which Khandelwal has premised his purported complaint, has been signed by Mr. Khandelwal himself, and it is therefore evident that the said complaint to the EoW is baseless….”. NSCI maintains that it shall appropriately respond to the allegations in the said complaint, as and when the same is communicated to it.
Maru asserted that the 47 th AGM will be held at Delhi on February 21. 2025.
