Kathmandu, September 15 : It is still not certain as to when the general assembly and election of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) will take place. Due to the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent restrictive measures, their date has already been postponed twice.
Earlier in March, the FNCCI had decided to hold its its 54th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and election between April 10 and 11 as per its statute. But, the very date was first deferred to May 20 and 21 and then till August 10 and 11.
The FNCCI recently formed a sub-committee to carry out a study on how and when the AGM and election can be conducted amidst the COVID-19 crisis. It was comprised of six members: Arunraj Sumargi, D.B Basnet, Er. Binod Dhakal, Sunil Gopal Shrestha, Bharatraj Acharya and Ranjeet Acharya.
After undertaking the required study, the sub-committee submitted a report to Bhawani Rana, president. FNCCI. The report has recommended to virtually (through Zoom) hold the inauguration, closed session and closing programmes of the AGM. Similarly, another suggestion of it is to directly conduct the election of the members of all four categories-district/municipality level chamber of commerce and industry, commodity association, binational chamber of commerce and industry and associate- in Kathmandu. The system of e-voting is proposed for holding the poll.
However, the FNCCI members are said to be especially divided over this proposition. Some believe that this will produce credible election results, while others do not subscribe to this belief. It may be noted that they are bickering over not only on this issue but also on the postponment of the AGM an election date.
FNCCI Vice President Chandra Prasad Dhakal along with another Vice President Umesh Lal Shrestha and Treasurer Nirak KC have been opposing the deferral of the AGM and election date. Their main disagreement is that the office bearers instead of the executive committee made such an important move.
Such internal discord in the FNCCI has only added to the already existing uncertainty regarding the date of the AGM and poll. “It seems that they will not take place at least before the upcoming festival of Chhath that falls on November 20,” a member of the FNCCI was quoted as saying.
As per a provision in FNCCI statute, the current Senior Vice-President of FNCCI, Shekhar Golchha, will become the new president automatically.
FNCCI’s two vice-presidents — Chandra Dhakal and Kishore Pradhan — have officially announced that they would vie for the post of senior vice-president of FNCCI.
