AITA Prez faces no-confidence motion as court refuses to grant stay against EGM

Mumbai, Sep 27 (IANS) Engaged in a court battle with players Somdev Devvarman and Purav Raja over its failure to adhere to the National Sports Code, the All-India Tennis Federation (AITA) is facing more turmoil with eight state tennis associations proposing a no-confidence motion against its President Dr Anil Jain and preparing for legal action if the organisation fails to assuage their concerns. 

The eight state associations which include Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Tripura and Gujarat have sought action against the AITA President alleging that he has caused monetary losses to the federation by travelling abroad with his family. An Extra-ordinary General Meeting (EGM) has been called in New Delhi on Saturday to discuss this issue, a senior tennis official from Maharashtra confirmed to IANS on Friday.

In response, Dr Jain moved an application for an urgent hearing and stay on the EGM but a Delhi court disallowed the plea. The matter has now been listed on Monday. The EGM can be held on Saturday.

In the letter seeking EGM, the eight 'rebel' state associations have alleged the AITA President Dr. Anil Jain of misusing the organisation's resources by taking his family abroad several times, Jain, an MBBS doctor and a consultant with Apollo Hospital, Delhi, is a Rajya Sabha MP and a former National General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Jain will now be hoping to convince the court on Monday and get a stay on any decision passed by the EGM.

Both groups are consulting their respective legal teams to prepare the groundwork for Saturday's battle in the EGM and the consequences thereafter.

The latest move means, the AITA is facing a lot of legal challenges in a year in which it is to elect its new office-bearers. Just when it looked like everything was going smoothly and many of the bigwigs would be elected unopposed, Somdev and Purav threw a spanner in the works by approaching the Delhi High Court accusing the AITA of flouting the National Sports Code in the run-up to the AGM. President Anil Jain had already lost the support of many office-bearers with Rohit Rajpal being propped up as a presidential candidate whereas the secretary and treasurer's post would have gone unopposed.

The no-confidence motion by the eight state associations seems another move to oust Dr. Anil Jain in case the election process is stalled by the court case.