AITA President Anil Jain is under scrutiny for allegedly burdening the association with personal expenses incurred during multiple international trips with his family.
In an unprecedented move, eight state tennis associations affiliated with the All India Tennis Association (AITA) have initiated a no-confidence motion against President Anil Jain. An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) has been scheduled for September 28 in New Delhi to address this motion. Interestingly, the EGM is set for the same day as AITA’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), during which elections will be held. However, the election results cannot be disclosed immediately and must be submitted to the Delhi High Court in a sealed envelope.
Jain, who also serves as a BJP Rajya Sabha MP, faces allegations of “charging the association with personal ‘entitled’ expenses by traveling abroad with his family on multiple occasions.” The state units proposing the no-confidence motion include Assam, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Tripura.
If the motion passes, Jain will be removed from his position as AITA President, marking a first in the history of Indian tennis.
Jain, who succeeded Praveen Mahajan as AITA President in September 2020, had previously served as the AITA Vice President from 2016 to 2020. In response to the motion, Jain argued that the state units have targeted him because he insisted they adhere to the Sports Code in the upcoming elections.
“This EGM is illegal. A three-week notice is required to convene any meeting. This meeting is null and void. I will take legal action. Clause 15 of the AITA constitution outlines the proper procedure for calling meetings. You can’t issue a notice on the 23rd and hold a meeting on the 28th,” Jain stated.
He further questioned whether this motion was a way to penalize him for enforcing the Sports Code, asserting that all those opposing him would be disqualified due to an incorrect Electoral College. However, he also declared, “If I have done anything wrong, I will step down.”
An official from the state associations countered, saying there were additional allegations against Jain, and that this was not solely about the Sports Code.
“Who says we aren’t following the Sports Code? We are fully compliant. This is not about the Sports Code. If it were, why didn’t he raise any objections during last month’s EC meeting when the AGM and elections were announced?
“This is the time to reform the system, support the players, and transform Indian tennis. We are united in this effort and have a capable team ready for change. You will see a different Indian tennis landscape after these elections,” the official added. One state association also accused Jain of exploiting his position for personal gain.
“Disregarding all principles of good governance, he has misused the AITA Trust for his personal agenda by making himself a permanent trustee in his individual capacity rather than in an ex-officio capacity,” the association wrote to AITA on September 21.
The letter concluded by noting that “All AITA members have remained silent so far to preserve the dignity and unity within the AITA fraternity.”
