Sports Ministry alleges forgery by AITA in poll procedure

Sabi Hussain

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, october 25

The Sports Ministry has alleged that All India Tennis Association (AITA) “forged” the Ministry’s stamps and signatures, and declared its elections, held last month in Indore, invalid.

AITA had claimed that it had informed the Sports Ministry about its Annual General Meeting (AGM), held in Indore on September 3, through an official letter. It is incumbent on the recognised sports associations to inform the Sports Ministry about its AGMs, for which the Ministry then appoints an observer.

The Sports Ministry insisted that it did not receive any intimation about AITA’s AGM. AITA, as evidence, submitted “documentary proof” of its letter being received by the office of Joint Secretary (sports), Onkar Kedia. However, the Sports Ministry has alleged that the signature and stamp on the “documentary proof” did not “match the signatures of any employee of the Joint Secretary (sports) office and the stamps used in the Ministry”.

Invalid?

“In view of this, the elections of AITA on September 3, 2016, cannot be considered valid,” said a Sports Ministry note, exclusively accessed by The Tribune. “An appropriate action must be taken against the present dispensation of the AITA if it is proved that they had used the forged signatures and stamps.”

AITA claimed that it had informed the Sports Ministry about the AGM, in which its long-serving boss Anil Khanna was unanimously chosen as ‘Life President’, vide a letter dated August 8. The Sports Ministry, however, rejected this claim.

“The letter dated August 8, 2016, by the AITA wasn’t received in the Ministry. No such letter has been received by this (JS Sports) office as per the records available. The letter appears to be incorrect as the acknowledgment doesn’t seem to be genuine and the sign and stamps do not match,” the note stated.

A source in the Sports Ministry informed that a meeting between AITA’s representatives and its officials was held in the Capital on September 22, in which AITA apprised the Sports Ministry of the decisions taken at the AGM. However, the Ministry refused to “acknowledge” the elections because there was no “government-appointed observer” present and because of AITA’s “failure to inform in advance”.

The Sports Ministry expressed serious reservations about Khanna’s appointment as ‘Life President’, in complete violation of the Sports Code, and told AITA to hold elections for the president’s post within three months.

Vacancy at top

“Only Khanna’s name was proposed for the post of president for the period 2016-20 in the AGM. He refused to take up the position as it was in violation of the Sports Code. However, Khanna was nominated as Life President of the AITA. As per the provisions of Rule 13 and 14 of the AITA constitution, the vacancy of president, for more than three months, needs to be filled up immediately. We (Ministry) may direct the AITA to fill up the post within three months,” the Sports Ministry source said.

In April last year, the Ministry had withdrawn AITA’s recognition due to its non-compliance with the Sports Code — age and tenure guidelines — in the president’s election.

The Ministry had, on three different occasions, asked Khanna to step down from the post, but he remained defiant, even threatening legal action. In January this year, the Ministry stopped AITA’s funding after deciding not to renew its ‘Annual Recognition’ due to its refusal to follow the age and tenure guidelines. AITA is no longer eligible to host national and state-level championships from the Ministry’s National Sports Development Fund.