PANAJI
The Inspector General of Societies (IGS) in an order passed on Monday has held that the 65 new members who were enrolled by Goan Cycling Association (GCA) secretary are members/electors of GCA in terms of bye laws and stand admitted to membership of GCA.
“The applicants/petitioners have proved that they are members/electors of the Goa cycling Association, in terms of bye laws and stands admitted to membership of Goa Cycling Association,” stated the order.
The IGS decision came as per the direction of the High Court of Bombay at Goa.
The High Court while deciding on the petition had passed an order: “In exercise of power vested under Section 20A, of Societies Registration Act, 1860, the Inspector General/Registrar shall investigate into and decide the following issues in the petition: ‘Whether the claim of the Petitioners that they are members/electors of the Goa Cycling Association in terms of the byelaws. Whether the Petitioners claim that they stood admitted to the membership of the GCA by virtue of their entry forms having been received by the Secretary and the amount deposited as membership fee in the account of GCA being realized is sustainable.’
It may be recalled that a group of cycling enthusiasts led by Chetan Salkar had filed a writ petition before the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court filed against the functioning of the GCA and prayed for the deferment of Association’s Executive Committee, which was to be held on October 18.
The High Court in its order while deferring the election had directed all the parties connected to the petition to appear IGS, where the questions that came up during the hearing were to be taken up, especially regarding the alleged deprivation of voting rights of members of the association, all of which was to decide by IGS within a stipulated time period of one month.
The HC while postponing the elections has also directed that once the IGS decides on these questions and passes its order, fresh elections process would commence. A timeframe was also given when the next elections to the Managing Committee of GCA should be held.
The petition before the High Court highlighted irregularities in the election process, claiming the current management tampered with membership records to favour those aligned with the leadership. While CAG’s original membership in 2008 included 15 members, the petitioners assert that many long-standing members were arbitrarily removed without notice, while new members, including employees of the association’s treasurer, were added.
In June 2024, following the emergence of inflated bills pertaining to the National Games 2023, the petitioners succeeded in admitting 65 new members. However, the new members, despite having paid membership fees, were being barred from participating in the October 18 elections.
It may be recalled that inflated bills worth more than Rs.14 lakhs were submitted to Sports Authority of Goa for a Residential camp which never took place instead a day-camp took place.
