The administration had instructed not to take any action on the proposal to bring NADA into the federation, saying that it was not legal. However, the general assembly has decided to bring NADA into the federation.
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The 49th general assembly of the Automobiles Association of Nepal (NADA) was held on Wednesday amidst controversy. The general assembly was organized by a team led by President Karan Chaudhary. However, the team including NADA member Akash Golchha did not attend the general assembly, saying it was against the statute.
The general assembly has also decided to take NADA to the federation and hold elections on the coming 25th of December. The District Administration Office, Kathmandu, had expressed concern that the general assembly was being held on Wednesday without an agenda to elect a new working committee of NADA, which is required every two years. The administration had instructed not to take any action related to the proposal to take NADA to the federation, saying that it was not legal. However, the general assembly has decided to take NADA to the federation.
‘Since the notice was published without any proposal regarding the selection of a new working committee in the proposed agenda for the general assembly, it is requested to publish the election schedule for the new leadership in the general assembly,’ the letter sent by the administration office to NADA said. ‘Since the proposal to take the currently existing NADA to the federation is not legal, it has been directed not to take any action related to it as per the order.’
Meanwhile, former NADA president Dhruv Thapa claimed that they did not attend the general assembly held in violation of the statute. ‘Where is the point of doing it by whim?’ He said, ‘It is an illegal step to try to remove the senior vice president without implementing the system where the senior vice president automatically becomes the president and to circumvent the election process.’
In the early days, the 48th General Assembly had made an understanding and passed a decision to create the post of senior vice president and appoint Akash Golchha as the president.
There has been a dispute that the amendment to the statute passed by the General Assembly should not have been registered with the District Administration Office. However, some office bearers within the Working Committee allege that the said Working Committee intentionally did not register it and instead the Administration Office rejected it. The dissatisfied party says that Akash was removed from the position of senior vice president 18/19 months after the new leadership came.
Current Working Committee member Akash Golchha has even filed a case in the Patan High Court on 6 Poush, demanding that the decision made by the 47th General Assembly be implemented.
Former President Thapa says that the issue of going to the Federation is just a drama. "During my tenure, there was an agenda to take NADA to the federation, but it cannot be taken directly to the federation. If an ad hoc committee is formed for this, there is a legal provision that the organization's cash and physical assets worth about 2-3 crore rupees will be nationalized," Thapa said. "Because of this, we backed down. The administration office has also sent a letter stating that NADA cannot go directly to the federation and only new associations can go." The dissatisfied party claims that only 4-500 people were present on the day of the general meeting in the organization, which has around 2,900 members. However, the group participating in the general meeting stated that 1,483 members out of the total 1,548 members renewed in the organization were present in person. Chairman Karan Chaudhary said that some working committee members were unable to attend the general meeting due to work commitments. ‘They are with us spiritually,’ he said, ‘There has been an effort to bring NADA to the center of policy debate, the structure, system and transparency of the organization have been strengthened.’ He said that sometimes when tough decisions have to be taken in the capacity of leadership, there may have been a misunderstanding. ‘I am someone who always stands in the interests of NADA and the industry. Unity is the greatest asset. There should be unity among the members,’ he said, ‘As the country is becoming unstable, we should stabilize the policy, make the organization bigger than the individual, and open the door to leadership for the new generation.’
Surendra Kumar Upreti, general secretary of NADA, said that the general assembly has ended and that the election will now be held. ‘Those who did not attend the general assembly have joined other organizations. Therefore, it is natural for them to say that they made a mistake,’ he said. Upreti said that NADA has no right to tell anyone not to decide to join the federation before the announcement. ‘A letter is sent from the District Administration Office before going to the general meeting, is this right?’ he said.
Mukti Ram Rijal, Assistant Chief District Officer and Spokesperson of the District Administration Office, Kathmandu, said that he did not think that NADA would hold the general meeting contrary to the letter sent by the administration office. ‘The letter sent by the administration office must have been discussed in the general meeting,’ he said, ‘NADA will take some decisions on this. But if it is ignored, the district administration will take the same kind of action.’
