Chandigarh Golf Club (CGC), one of the most prominent clubs in India, will go to polls on Sunday after almost four years. Lt Colonel HS Chahal (retd), SPS Ghai and Major Rajinder Singh Virk (retd) are contesting for the post of president.
The last contested elections were held in 2018. In 2019, only one candidate had filed nomination for president and 11 members for the executive committee. Therefore, the elections were held unanimously.
In 2020, due to the Covid lockdown and restrictions, no annual general meeting (AGM) or election could be held and these were deferred to 2021, when the president and the committee were elected unanimously in the AGM.
The initial arrangements for this year’s CGC annual general elections were made for January 30, but were put on hold due to the rise in Covid cases and strict curbs imposed by the UT administration.
The elections will be held for the post of president and 11 executive members. The remaining office-bearers will be nominated later by the elected president. As many as 1,800 members of the club will decide the fate of the candidates.
Know the candidates and their agendas
{{/usCountry}}Know the candidates and their agendas
{{/usCountry}}With just two days left for the polls, the three presidential candidates are oozing with confidence. HT speaks to all three to know their mandate and vision going into the polls.
Lt Colonel HS Chahal (retd), 68
Ghai has played an integral part in improving the CGC greens while he was a captain. He was also a member of the executive committee.
“I had been the captain of the course from 2014 to 2016. The CGC course is one of the best in India and we want to elevate it further and aim to host international tournaments. Raising the standard of maintenance of the course is on our agenda. The club is doing a good job and the way things were handled during the pandemic shows how the committee was dedicated to its job. They took care of the caddies and provided vaccination to everyone. So, we want to maintain the standards and make the club a much bigger entity. Due to pandemic, junior circuit golf was also hit. We want to bring focus back on that, along with spotlight on women’s golf. Also, we want to come up with a realistic budget. I have a wonderful team, which has the required experience to work for the welfare of the members,” said Ghai.
Team: Colonel AD Singh, Anil Gakhar, Harsh Kumar, Lt Colonel Karan Singh Thandi, Shona Singh, Colonel SS Gill, Sanjit Singh Bala, Manraj Deep Singh and Sohi Harpal Singh Malvai.
Major Rajinder Singh Virk (retd), 55
A top-contender for the post of president, Virk is currently in the executive committee and contesting for the top post for the first time.
“Certain ills like cronyism, nepotism and concentration of power in a few hands have crept into the club. I will bring in a strategic policy change of restricting the president’s tenure to a maximum of two years in a lifetime. This policy change will give an opportunity to the vast talent pool of members to become president and implement their vision in future. Let all members get an opportunity to add value to Chandigarh golf club, our second home, where we yearn to live and die. An internal grievance redressal mechanism to resolve disputes in house is another pressing need of the hour,” said Major Virk.
“On the functional level, improving the course and the tee off booking procedure for a pleasurable golfing experience is our priority. In addition, resolving parking woes, ploughing club profits back for the benefit of the members to provide cheaper food and beverages; increasing funding for the ladies’ section and resolution of their voting rights is also on our agenda,” he added.
Team: Colonel HS Baidwan, Captain Gurdev S Bajwa, Dr Roshan Sunkaria, NS Ahluwalia, Harsh Kumar Lakhanpal, JS Toor, Colonel BS Rangi, Kulwant Singh Bhullar, Jyoti Singh, Jagseer Singh Mann and Jaspal Singh Sekhon.