The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has called an executive committee meeting on Tuesday listing Shaji Prabhakaran’s dismissal as secretary-general on the agenda but sent him an invitation asking to attend on Monday evening.
Till late on Monday, Prabhakaran, who is not in New Delhi, could not be asked whether he will attend. Usually, invites to attend meetings are sent when the agenda is released. Or a 14-day notice given.
AIFF removed Prabhakaran, a former FIFA official, from his post last November for breach of trust. In December, Prabhakaran obtained a stay on the dismissal from Delhi High Court.
In its ruling on January 19, the high court has pointed out that Prabhakaran was dismissed by an AIFF emergency committee but as per the federation’s constitution, only the executive committee has the power to do that. The order also said that there is no bar on AIFF holding an executive committee meeting “for the purpose of terminating the tenure of the petitioner.” HT has seen the court order.
On the agenda, sent by AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey, for Tuesday’s meeting is an item that says dismissal and termination of service of Dr Shaji Prabhakaran from the post of secretary-general.
Referring to the agenda, an executive committee member asked whether the agenda should have been sent by Prabhakaran since AIFF accepts that he is still in office. The member did not want to named given the sensitive nature of the issue.
Following the high court order, Prabhakaran wrote to AIFF president, vice-president and executive committee asking for an opportunity to be questioned by the federation’s members.
“At the moment, my sincere request to each of you is that I be invited to the next gathering of the AIFF members, whether it is an Executive Committee meeting or an Annual General Meeting (or, for that matter, any other formal or informal meetings) whenever it is being planned as I would like to answer sincerely every question that our hon’ble members might have on their minds or on things where they have been told that I committed something wrong,” Prabhakaran has written. A copy of his e-mail is with HT.
“I consider my presence…urgent and outright necessary because I feel responsible and accountable for my work,” he has written.