AICF to hold April 22 EGM via digital media

The All India Chess Federation's (AICF) Special/Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM), called by 12 state associations on April 22, will be held as scheduled with the help of digital media.

"The Special/Extraordinary General body meeting will be held as scheduled. Nineteen state associations have sent the names of persons who will be attending the general body meeting," Chandigarh Chess Association secretary Vipnesh Bhardwaj told PTI on Monday.

According to Bhardwaj , the members can attend the meeting through audio/video conference or even by email, given the restrictions on movement of people due to the coronavirus lockdown.

He said so far 19 associations had sent names of those who would attend the meeting, adding president P R Venketrama Raja too had been invited.

Twelve state chess associations had called the extraordinary general body meeting soon after AICF president dismissed secretary Bharat Singh Chauhan from the post, which the latter objected to.

Raja had also appointed Vijay Deshpande of All Marathi Chess Association as the AICF secretary without holding any election.

The AICF is split into two factions -- one headed by Raja and the other by Chauhan, who have been at loggerheads over various issue.

As per the notice, the agenda for the meeting, among others, include discussion and decision on financial matters including the due payments of AICF, discussion and decision on various court cases related to AICF, various cases filed by Tamil Nadu Chess Association and election matters and discussion and decision on due payments/grant related issues of Bengal Chess Association and election of Bengal Chess Association.

Other two important agenda of the meeting are discussion and decision on various issues related to World Youth Chess Championship 2019 held at Mumbai and a decision on monitoring and regulating day to day functioning of AICF till fresh elections of office-bearers are conducted.

The faction led by Raja and Chauhan have been at loggerheads with each other various issues and the election process was taken to the court.

The Madras High Court-appointed returning officer, retired Supreme Court Justice F M Ibrahim Kalifulla had declared Ajay H Patel as elected president, Chauhan as secretary, Naresh Sharma as treasurer, M Arun Singh as joint secretary, and Vipnesh Bharadwaj as vice president.

After the new office-bearers assumed office, the High Court set aside the election process and asked Kalifulla to convene a Special General Body Meeting to conduct fresh polls after an appeal by president Venketrama Raja.

Subsequently, the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal by Chauhan against the High Court's order.

The AICF is now awaiting direction from the court regarding conduct of the election of office-bearers.