<p>An Extraordinary General Body Meeting (EGM) scheduled to be held on February 22 by the managing committee of the Karnataka State Rifle Association has caused concern and panic among its stakeholders. </p><p>The special EGM is being held to bring in changes to the Memorandum and bye-laws to ensure compliance with the new national sports code that came into effect in January this year. </p><p>However, one of the key amendments proposed states that only district associations would have the power to vote at general body meetings to elect a managing committee henceforth with the voting rights of life members taken away, leaving them a concerned lot. </p><p>“There are three registered districts - Mysuru, Chikkamagaluru and Kodagu. It does not make sense to have three registered district associations and give full responsibility for forming a managing committee in the future,” Rajesh Jagdale, former secretary of KSRA told DH. </p><p>“90% of the Karnataka shooters are members and if these new proposals come into motion, the entire lot will be ineligible to vote for KSRA elections. The bigger issue is there is still time to implement the new sports code. Without giving clarity to the shooters about the requirements, or giving time for anybody to raise objections, this is being done. All of us got a shock out of the blue that they were going to change the whole constitution of KSRA. Such urgency is completely undemocratic, unlawful,” complained Jagdale. </p><p>Voicing similar concerns was Rajesh Manpat, a life member and a shooter. “According to the legal advice we have sought from various legal councils, they say that as per Karnataka Societies Act, you cannot be a member and not have voting rights. So, if you remove the voting rights, you can no longer be a member. There are more than 1,500 life members and you are saying we cannot vote to choose our managing committee anymore? This is illegal.” </p><p>Various members also brought to notice a few of the other proposed changes and termed them as dangerous. Some of them questioned the maximum age of president, secretary general and treasurer being increased to 75 years from 70 years, setting a minimum age bar of 35 years as eligibility to be on the athletes' commission and the formation of a third vice-president with two already among the 15-member committee. </p><p>Responding to the concerns, G Susheel, KSRA secretary, heading the EGM, maintained that the amendments are proposed keeping in mind the new sports code. </p><p>“Our parent body is the International Sports Shooting Federation (ISSF). And it says that the maximum age of president, secretary general and treasurer can be 75,” said the 69-year-old Susheel. </p><p>Section 4 (2) (d) under eligibility to contest elections in the National Sports Governance Act states 70 as the default statutory age cap and 70-75 as an exception allowed only if international charters allow it and by-laws permit it. Members accused KSRA of making 75 as the norm instead of an exception only to serve certain individuals.</p><p>“About the age bar set at 35 for athletes commission nominees, you know young athletes will be still competing hard and they will not have the maturity to sit and deliberate and discuss. And third, when they are busy they may not have the time, so we said let us have a minimum age. I mean this is our proposal and not based on the sports code. If the members feel it should be set at 30 years, we are happy to do what they want. </p><p>“And lastly, about proposing to have a third vice-president, this is to have another good person if need be. We have had people who offered to work in high positions and we couldn't give them any offers. So that was the reason we felt we could ask for another vice-president. Again, this is again called for deliberation by the members, so it is for the members to decide what they want as a majority.”</p><p>Expressing displeasure, several members pointed out more loopholes in organising an EGM and questioned the confusing proposals that on the surface appear to be new sports code-related but also have changed or made according to one's own interest. </p>
<p>An Extraordinary General Body Meeting (EGM) scheduled to be held on February 22 by the managing committee of the Karnataka State Rifle Association has caused concern and panic among its stakeholders. </p><p>The special EGM is being held to bring in changes to the Memorandum and bye-laws to ensure compliance with the new national sports code that came into effect in January this year. </p><p>However, one of the key amendments proposed states that only district associations would have the power to vote at general body meetings to elect a managing committee henceforth with the voting rights of life members taken away, leaving them a concerned lot. </p><p>“There are three registered districts - Mysuru, Chikkamagaluru and Kodagu. It does not make sense to have three registered district associations and give full responsibility for forming a managing committee in the future,” Rajesh Jagdale, former secretary of KSRA told DH. </p><p>“90% of the Karnataka shooters are members and if these new proposals come into motion, the entire lot will be ineligible to vote for KSRA elections. The bigger issue is there is still time to implement the new sports code. Without giving clarity to the shooters about the requirements, or giving time for anybody to raise objections, this is being done. All of us got a shock out of the blue that they were going to change the whole constitution of KSRA. Such urgency is completely undemocratic, unlawful,” complained Jagdale. </p><p>Voicing similar concerns was Rajesh Manpat, a life member and a shooter. “According to the legal advice we have sought from various legal councils, they say that as per Karnataka Societies Act, you cannot be a member and not have voting rights. So, if you remove the voting rights, you can no longer be a member. There are more than 1,500 life members and you are saying we cannot vote to choose our managing committee anymore? This is illegal.” </p><p>Various members also brought to notice a few of the other proposed changes and termed them as dangerous. Some of them questioned the maximum age of president, secretary general and treasurer being increased to 75 years from 70 years, setting a minimum age bar of 35 years as eligibility to be on the athletes' commission and the formation of a third vice-president with two already among the 15-member committee. </p><p>Responding to the concerns, G Susheel, KSRA secretary, heading the EGM, maintained that the amendments are proposed keeping in mind the new sports code. </p><p>“Our parent body is the International Sports Shooting Federation (ISSF). And it says that the maximum age of president, secretary general and treasurer can be 75,” said the 69-year-old Susheel. </p><p>Section 4 (2) (d) under eligibility to contest elections in the National Sports Governance Act states 70 as the default statutory age cap and 70-75 as an exception allowed only if international charters allow it and by-laws permit it. Members accused KSRA of making 75 as the norm instead of an exception only to serve certain individuals.</p><p>“About the age bar set at 35 for athletes commission nominees, you know young athletes will be still competing hard and they will not have the maturity to sit and deliberate and discuss. And third, when they are busy they may not have the time, so we said let us have a minimum age. I mean this is our proposal and not based on the sports code. If the members feel it should be set at 30 years, we are happy to do what they want. </p><p>“And lastly, about proposing to have a third vice-president, this is to have another good person if need be. We have had people who offered to work in high positions and we couldn't give them any offers. So that was the reason we felt we could ask for another vice-president. Again, this is again called for deliberation by the members, so it is for the members to decide what they want as a majority.”</p><p>Expressing displeasure, several members pointed out more loopholes in organising an EGM and questioned the confusing proposals that on the surface appear to be new sports code-related but also have changed or made according to one's own interest. </p>