Rajasthan Polo Club defies government, calls AGM

Source: The Times of India
May 12, 2009

JAIPUR: Defying orders of the government, the Rajasthan Polo Club (RPC) has called an annual general meeting (AGM) on Wednesday just to prove that
it is going to abide by its own governing council and not be dictated by the government.

The secretary of the RPC, Thakur Digvijay Singh said that the AGM has been convened on May 13 by the president under para19 (b) of the constitution. The venue will be the club house.

The club seems to heading towards a split. Vikram Rathore, who was removed in a controversial manner, said that he will not attend the AGM.

"It was the same request by 46 members submitted on April 9 and the agenda is also the same. The Urban Development and Housing (UDH) secretary had already said that an AGM would be held on May 14, then what was the need to call it on 13?" asked Vikram.

"We don't feel this is the right way to proceed. The UDH secretary and the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) commissioner had warned the governing body to stay away from any important decisions in the meeting on April 21. Hence all the decisions taken in that meeting and later,

on that basis, are unconstitutional," said Vikram who is still trying to be reinstated in the club.

Sources also alleged that there have been discreet attempts to make new members. The club has only 130 members since the last AGM held in 2005.

The row over convening the AGM was going on for quite some time now and despite requests from 46 members, the RPC was reluctant to call for a meeting.

The government nominee, UDH secretary and working president of the club had instructed the club to hold an AGM on May 14 and had also threatened to take "appropriate action" in case the club failed to comply.

The club had questioned the constitutional right of the UDH secretary to call such a meeting. On the other hand, in its governing council meeting, the RPC had decided to go with the government and resolve the differences amicably.

Sources say that RPC has called the meeting on May 13 only to vindicate its stand legally and constitutionally. The other points of agenda include confirmation of the minutes of the last meeting held on January 27, 2005 and any other matter with the permission of the chair. It is also a move to take on the government head-on and decide the fate of club through majority in the AGM.

The recent bitterness started when RPC president Maharaja Bhawani Singh removed Vikram Rathore and replaced him with Digvijay Singh as the secretary.

The move was decried by the club authorities, who referred the case to UDH secretary and JDA commissioner. Allegations and counter allegations came from the two RPC groups, forcing the state government to step in.

Vikram Rathore, who is still trying to be reinstated, feels that his dismissal was unconstitutional and the matter should have been put in the AGM. Thus the meeting slated for Wednesday will be a test of strength for both the groups.