No challenge to Gujarat chamber of commerce's high-powered panel

A faction of members of the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) were all set to challenge the powers of the high-powered committee (HPC) in court.  However, they backed out for some unknown reasons.

A group of GCCI members including former office bearers had prepared a draft of the petition to be filed in the session's court on Thursday, which was postponed till Friday. However, the plan could not take off.

The group had termed the working style of the high-powered committee led by Karsan Patel of Nirma as autocratic. They were to ask the court to consider all decision taken by HPC as null and void as it took charge of the chamber unconstitutionally. The members had also claimed that the HPC could not accept resignation of executive committee members. The resignations must be accepted by president or general secretary.

Despite earlier resignation of 80 members there was no constitutional crisis in the chamber, claimed the members. The group alleged that the term of HPC was nearing its end and so they acted in a manner to take care of their vested interest by taking charge of the chamber.

It was to submit to the court that the HPC did not have any right to call the extraordinary general meeting which was to be convened on June 21, which is now postponed for July 5, 2010.
It is believed that damage control measures by the HPC is what made the group back off.