Legal wrangles in the Tamil Nadu Football Association (TNFA) reached a point on Friday when a group led by ‘President-in-charge’ N. Balasubramani and his followers walked into the association office seeking to take over what, according to them, was theirs in keeping with the decision taken by the Annual General Body meeting held at Dindigul on December 9.
At that meeting 12 Districts out of the 16 had voted in favour of a ‘no confidence’ motion against the President S.M. Seeni Mohaideen. Thereafter Mr. Balasubramani, who was the senior most Vice President, was elected as ‘President in charge’ to look after the association affairs pending the election of a new President as per constitutional procedure.
It appears that Mr. Seeni Mohaideen had moved for an injunction against the Dindigul meeting but the court order had reached the meeting venue after the proceedings had been completed. This was confirmed by a senior advocate representing the new TFA set-up and the decisions taken at the meeting stood.
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According to sources, the group led by Mr. Balasubramani sought and took the keys of the office from the incumbent General Secretary S. Feroz Khan.
The matter reached Mr. Seeni Mohaideen, who is abroad. Soon the legal advisor of TFA and few others with him came over in a bid to stall the move.
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Former TFA President and an ex-Executive committee member of the AIFF, C.R. Visswanathan, who is with Mr. Balasubramani said that once the Dindigul meeting held good, then Mr. Seeni Mohaideen had no locus standi and that he should hand over the office to them.
As to why they had taken the step on Friday, Ravikumar David, who is being tipped to take over as General Secretary, said that the association had urgent matters to discuss relating to administration and preparation of the State squad for the forthcoming Santosh Trophy.
Meantime, Sabir Pasha, who had been assigned the task of State coach to pick the squad and organise a coaching camp, has decided to keep away for the time-being, because as he said, “my office (Indian Bank) has not received any request for my services.
“Until then I cannot take a decision.”
The three-day selection trials were to start on Saturday. What would happen to that is the question now.