The ongoing mess in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) is going from bad to worse as suspended general secretary Vinod Tihara has now shot a letter to newly elected president Rajat Sharma, after the former was sidelined on Tuesday on disciplinary grounds. Calling the move ‘illegal’, Tihara has asked the president and the DDCA board of directors to follow the rules and regulations of the Companies Act and remove him by calling an SGM of the members.
In a scathing mail, in possession of Hindustan Times, Tihara called the move of suspending the powers of an elected secretary as abuse of power. Tension started brewing when Tihara complained that certain appointments in the DDCA were against the suggestions of the Supreme Court-approved Lodha Panel suggestions.
“The actions initiated by the DDCA board of directors — illegally deciding to “suspend the powers” of an elected secretary duly appointed by the governing body of DDCA consisting of 4300-odd members — is an abuse of the powers of the board. Under the scheme of the Companies Act, a director can only be removed through a Special Resolution to be adopted by the governing body of the Company,” he wrote.
Tihara went on to add that him questioning the wrongdoings of the newly appointed president was his fundamental right and they were clearly steps taken against the directions of the Supreme Court.
“My Freedom to question the wrong doings and violations of Supreme Court directions and guidelines and the autocratic and illegal actions of the DDCA’s autocrat President, is the hallmark of India’s democratic system. No one can snatch away my invaluable fundamental right to dissent and expose the illegality committed by the president through his questionable conduct. The president ensured that a single individual/president has unfettered powers. But, a person who is serious about fighting corruption and delivering good governance, must necessarily strengthen decentralised framework to prevent corruption and abuse of power,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}“My Freedom to question the wrong doings and violations of Supreme Court directions and guidelines and the autocratic and illegal actions of the DDCA’s autocrat President, is the hallmark of India’s democratic system. No one can snatch away my invaluable fundamental right to dissent and expose the illegality committed by the president through his questionable conduct. The president ensured that a single individual/president has unfettered powers. But, a person who is serious about fighting corruption and delivering good governance, must necessarily strengthen decentralised framework to prevent corruption and abuse of power,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}Tihara also questioned the president’s move to get his own name recommended as the DDCA representative for BCCI meetings. “Emboldened with the unfettered and absolute powers, and driven by towering ambitions, the autocrat president thereafter got his own name selfishly and illegally recommended as a nominee of DDCA for the meetings of the BCCI whereas, such an authority to nominate an office bearer as representative for BCCI meetings vests with the general body of the DDCA,” he wrote.
Tihara also feels that appointments have been made in the new regime without keeping the Lodha panel’s recommendations in mind. “The president driven by “his own vested interest” to accommodate his own men, constituted the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) and inducted members who were plagued with brazen conflict of interest and also the president’s own conflict of interest. Further, the appointments of the contractual employees of the DDCA such as the CEO, COO, CFO and GM have been done in utter contravention of the norms of transparency. The President is guilty of compromising the eligibility criteria for the appointment of CEO and recruiting COO, CFO, GM without following the directives of the Supreme Court and the High Court orders/judgements,” he claimed.
Tihara went on to add that he would continue to function in his position as secretary unless he is removed following the rules and regulations of the Companies Act. “In view of the aforesaid illegality, I reiterate that I continue to be the elected secretary of the DDCA unless the board follows the appropriate provisions of Sec 169 of the Companies Act and passes the resolution in an SGM by a Special Majority,” he signed off.