A meeting of senior executives of FNCCI held under the chairmanship of acting president Pashupati Murarka took the decision.
The executive committee meeting is expected to announce the date for election for the new president after incumbent president Pradeep Jung Pandey was arrested in connection to a three-decade old corruption case two weeks ago.
The senior executives also met former presidents and sought their suggestions on how to move ahead. However, the former presidents couldn't give unanimous suggestions, saying that the FNCCI Statute doesn't clearly state that post will be vacant in the event of arrest of incumbent president. Republica has learnt that three lawyers suggested FNCCI executives to first seek clarifications from president Pandey. The executive committee can declare the post vacant if clarifications are not satisfactory, paving the way for election.
According to FNCCI Statute, vacant post of president should be filled within six months by holding election.
FNCCI had also called a meeting of district chambers on Sunday. But only 14 out of 93 representatives from district chambers were present in the meeting. Most of them sympathized with Pandey and suggested the senior executives to apply for a pardon. Senior executives, however, told chamber representatives that there was no chance of getting pardon.
Seven of the nine former presidents, except Suraj Vaidya and Ananda Raj Mulmi, were present in the meeting. Sources said former presidents had aired differing views on how to proceed ahead. Some were for conducting election for new president, while some said the president should be unanimously chose from executive members.
Talking to Republica, former President Kush Kumar Joshi said the election process will be initiated as per the FNCCI Statute. "The acting president will be at the helm until a new president is elected," he said.
FNCCI is holding its annual general meeting (AGM) on April 11. The AGM is a regular annual event of approving annual budget and other regular business. But FNCCI officials say that future course of the FNCCI's and election of the new president might be discussed in the upcoming AGM.
Former president Suraj Vaidya said the new president should be chosen unanimously, stating that the need of the hour is the protect FNCCI's image at this critical moment.
Country's oldest and largest body of private sector has fallen into unforeseen crisis following the arrest of its president. Executive committee members are divided, and former presidents have started airing differing views on FNCCI's future course of action.
FNCCI is celebrating its golden jubilee next year.
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