GIBA declares presidential election null and void, calls for fresh polls

DQ Week Exclusive 

GIBA suspends president-elect for two years and terminates membership of outgoing committee president

In a surprising development, the Goa IT Business Association (GIBA), which witnessed leadership changes recently, has suspended the president-elect for two years and terminated membership of the outgoing committee president. The suspension of secretary-elect has put on hold subject to written apology from him by today end of the day. GIBA has also declared the presidential election null and void and is now contemplating for fresh elections.

In the  Emergency Extraordinary General Body meeting held on 8th April, 2015, the general body members resolved action against the president-elect, the secretary-elect and the outgoing committee president after the three persons found culpable of alleged misuse of authority, bypassing Managing Committee and General Body and covering up mistakes.

Talking to the DQ Week, Ashley Delaney, chairperson of the extra ordinary general meeting of GIBA, said that the committee unanimously resolved to terminate the membership of the outgoing committee president for sending contradictory messages to misled the members, and suspend the president-elect for two years for bypassing procedures and submitting election document to the Registrar of Societies. He said that the suspension of the secretary-elect who allegedly misrepresented his post in the forwarding letter of the document has been put on hold subject to an unconditional written apology from him by today end of the day.

“The committee unanimously resolved that the membership of outgoing committee president to be terminated from GIBA as per Article 9 Section 5 of the GIBA constitution. President-elect has been suspended for 2 years as per Article 9, of Section 10 of the constitution. Decision to temporary suspend secretary-elect of as per Managing Committee  meeting on   25/3/15   overruled   by   the   GB after he  offered to tender an unconditional written apology to GIBA after notice given to him for his actions”, Delaney said.

It is to be noted that all the three persons were not physically present in the meeting though sufficient notice was sent to them. However, the committee contacted two of  them over phone to know their stand on the entire controversy.

The ongoing unrest in the association emerged in March after submission of the election results to the Registrar of Societies without fulfilment of procedural norms and handover. Sudheer Prabhu, then General Secretary of GIBA said that the president-elect and secretary-elect submitted the election result to the Registrar before the handover meeting. He said that the secretary-elect allegedly signed the document as 'General Secretary' which was misrepresentation of facts. One of the GIBA members, Ashley Delaney, filed the RTI query and retrieved the document exposing the alleged crime.

“As per Managing Committee decision in the first MC meeting in March 2013, and subsequently read out to the General Body, any document which is supposed to submit to the Registrar needs to be signed by President and Secretary and it is needed to be attached with GIBA letterhead. The president-elect on directions of the outgoing president submitted the document without informing to the Managing committee and the general body”, he said.

Sudheer Prabhu also alleged that some handful suppliers of the Cyberage scheme wanted to control the association for reasons best known to them.

When contacted, the president-elect refuted the allegations levelled against him terming it deliberate attempt by some GIBA members to malign his image. He also denied of having any information of emergency general body meeting.

“I am not aware of any such suspension. As per the constitution of GIBA only president has the right to call general body meeting. Therefore, I do not recognise the resolutions passed in the meeting”, he said.

Countering claims of the president-elect, Ashley Delaney, said the association has got recordings of the meetings which was held in camera, which clearly show that the president-elect was contacted to present his stand in front of the general body.

Earlier, talking to the DQ Week the president-elect had claimed that secretary-elect signing the document as a general secretary was 'unintentional' mistake which was duly corrected and approved by the Registrar. He also said that he did not receive notice on his suspension.

The DQ Week also contacted outgoing committee president and secretary-elect to understand their take on the entire controversy. However, their comments were unavailable till filing the story.

In the meeting, it was resolved that the association would not tolerate misuse of post by any member. GIBA has proposed fresh elections on 22nd April, 2015, so that a duly elected governing council can start its functions.