Ajay Singh No-Confidence Motion: High Court Stays BFI General Body Meeting

New Delhi, Oct 27: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday (October 27) directed suspended Boxing Federation of India (BFI) Secretary General Pramod Kumar to keep the General Body meeting scheduled for October 28 in abeyance until November 13, following a petition filed by BFI President Ajay Singh challenging a proposed no-confidence motion against him.

Justice Tribhuvan Dahiya issued notice of motion for November 13 and directed that the meeting remain on hold until the next hearing.

The petition challenges an October 8 notice proposing a no-confidence motion against Singh and convening a General Body meeting for the purpose. According to the petition, the BFI constitution requires a no-confidence motion seeking the President's removal to be supported by at least three-fourths of the General Body members at a meeting specifically convened for that purpose.

Singh has also challenged the process used to call the meeting, contending that a Special General Meeting can be convened by the President or following a request from two-thirds of the Executive Committee members.

BFI has cited Clause 33(ii) of its constitution, which provides for the President to call a Special General Meeting at his discretion or following a written request from two-thirds of the Executive Council members. The federation has argued that the required conditions for convening the proposed meeting were not met.

It has also referred to Clause 26(iii), which provides for the Secretary General to convene General Council and Executive Council meetings under the President's advice.

The legal development follows an email from World Boxing dated October 23, emphasising that any National Federation General Meeting must be convened and conducted in accordance with the applicable federation constitution.

The High Court's interim direction puts the October 28 meeting on hold, while the underlying dispute over the notice and the meeting's validity remains to be decided.

BFI has urged its members to follow the federation's constitution and comply with the court's directions. It has also called on members to avoid distractions and focus on India's ambitions in boxing, including its pursuit of Olympic success.

The matter will next be heard on November 13.