ISB general body not to take up no-trust motion
The Indian School Bahrain (ISB) Chairman Prince S Natarajan and Honorary Secretary Dr Shemily P John yesterday informed in a statement after legal consultations that they will not take up the no-confidence motion for discussion and deliberation at the annual general body (AGM) meeting which will be held on Friday at the Isa Town campus of the school.
The no-confidence motion was put forward by two parents, Dr. A Kamarudhin, who was the ISB chairman during school’s golden jubilee celebrations in 1999-2002, and Jose Edward.
The school officials said that the school’s executive committee is democratically elected by parents in the smoothly conducted elections in last December when the progressive Parents Alliance (PPA) was voted to power with a clear majority and that the two parents who put forward the no-confidence motion have vested interests to topple the current EC.
The AGM is convened to discuss 12 agendas, including confirmation of the minutes of the last years AGM and approval of the audited accounts for the year ended on March 31.
Taking the no-confidence motion submitted by two parents for discussion will set a wrong precedence in the school, which has 9,000 parents as stakeholders.
Prince S Natarajan stated that the present EC supported by the PPA panel is not afraid of a no-confidence motion, but putting forward a no-confidence motion in an AGM is inappropriate. As per the school constitution an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) is more suitable for discussing a no-confidence motion. Such an EGM can be convened if one-fifth of the parents submit a signed request letter. Those putting forward such a proposal should be able to convince at least twenty per cent of the parents about the necessity or relevance of such a move.
The Indian School EC has decided not to take up the no-confidence motion after receiving recommendations from constitutional and law experts.
The EC urged all parents to refrain from challenging the democratically elected body in an unhealthy way. It’s the parent community who has to assess the performance of the new executive committee, not those who have vested interests and ulterior motives. The United Parents Panel (UPP) which opposes the current EC, has surprisingly clarified that they will not support the no-confidence motion put forward by Dr Kamarudhin.
The PPA welcomes the UPP’s decision not to support the no-confidence motion. Prince S Natarajan also clarified that there is no move to increase the school fees, as alleged by UPP. When the previous committee led by Abraham John built the sprawling West Riffa campus after taking loan from the bank, they had given an affidavit to the bank stating that they would increase the fees repayment of loans. ‘We will show that affidavit to the parents in the AGM, Prince Natarajan said.
When contacted, Dr Kamarudhin told DT News that if his no-confidence motion is not taken for discussion, he would file a complaint to the education ministry.
Meanwhile, UPP Chairman Ajaya Krishnan and General Convener Sevi Mathunni has convened a Press conference today to explain their political stand at the upcoming AGM.
Photo Caption: The EC urged all parents to refrain from challenging the democratically elected body in an unhealthy way
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