Rival Rajasthan Polo Club group defers AGM

Source: The Times of India
May 14, 2009

JAIPUR: The confrontation between the state government and the Rajasthan Polo Club (RPC), which was pushing the club towards a split, was defused by
the registrar of cooperative societies who suggested to put off both the AGM's convened by the rival groups.

Club president Maharaja Bhawani Singh called an AGM on Wednesday while government nominee G S Sandhu, UDH secretary and working president of the club, had convened a parallel AGM on Thursday. But both were put off as per the registrar's suggestion.

Earlier in the day, intervention by higher government officials had resulted in Sandhu and RPC secretary Digvijay Singh mutually agreeing to hold the AGM on a later date as per the constitution of the club.

In a joint letter, Sandhu and Singh requested the registrar that because of confusion created by various reports in newspapers, AGMs would be truncated and might be held at a later date.

The registrar office which had issued certain suggestions regarding the AGM took cognizance of this letter and deferred both the AGMs.

Talking to TOI, Digvijay Singh said the club never wanted any confrontation with the government. "We need support of the government and that is necessary for our survival. We are happy that the matter has been solved amicably. Though we have not got into minute details but we believe both of us will go along the provisions of the constitution. Our main aim is to protect RPC's interests," he said.

Asked what will happen to the request of the 46 members regarding the AGM, Singh said as of now, everything stand cancelled. "We will work out the details and hold an AGM during the polo season," he said. On the other hand, sources said the government officials had come to know that the documents on behalf which they were going ahead were not authentic. "They were aware of the fact that there was no amendment in the constitution and the documents lacked authenticity. The club has filed an FIR against former secretary Vikram Rathore for forging documents and also for misleading the government," said an RPC official.

In light of this development, the writ filed by RPC member Pankaj Madhok in ADJ-5 fast track court has lost most of the relevance. Madhok had argued that Sandhu had no constitutional authority to convene an AGM. His lawyer Vijay Singh Sharma said that Sandhu is also a part of governing council of the RPC, which met on May 8 and had taken the decision of holding the AGM on May 13.

"How could he supersede the governing council's decision and issue orders for holding AGM on May 14," he asked. He had also argued that Rathore and a club employee had forged the documents which were shown to Sandhu who had acted accordingly.

ADJ judge Mahendra Kumar Sharma got the reply from both factions and had scheduled the next hearing on May 14.