KATHMANDU: The dispute between NADA Automobiles Association of Nepal (NADA) President Karan Chaudhary and Senior Vice President Akash Golcha, which had been simmering for months, has now blown into a public and institutional standoff.
NADA’s 47th Annual General Meeting held in January last year had elected Golchha to the position of Senior Vice President by amending the association’s statute. However, the District Administration Office, Kathmandu, refused to recognize the amendment, triggering discord within the organization.
The situation worsened in April when NADA downgraded Golchha’s status from Senior Vice President to general member on its official website. In response, Golchha and his supporters organized a press conference at the NADA head office on June 12, threatening a no-confidence motion against President Chaudhary and warning of further protests if their demands were ignored.
“Under which Section or Sub-section of the statute have you issued this letter? Are you above the General Assembly or the Executive Committee?” Golchha questioned.
The row further escalated on June 17 when NADA General Secretary Surendra Kumar Upreti sought written clarifications from Golchha as well as three members, Pradeep Man Shrestha, Sanjay Kumar Khetan and Sunil Rijal, accusing them of violating the association’s statute. They were given seven days to respond.
“It appears that you have acted in violation of Section 22 (1)(D) of the association’s statute. Therefore, why should your membership in the central executive committee not be suspended for six months as per Section 22(1)?” Upreti questioned in the clarification letter.
In response, Golchha questioned Upreti’s authority to issue such letters and accused him of not understanding the statute. “Your letter suggests that you have not read the NADA statute thoroughly. If you had, such a letter would never have been issued,” Golchha wrote in his reply. “Under which Section or Sub-section of the statute have you issued this letter? Are you above the General Assembly or the Executive Committee?”
Rijal also questioned the legality of Upreti’s actions and accused him of misusing NADA’s official letterhead and seal. “Do you have the authority to issue such letters in violation of the statute?” Rizal asked. “If that is not the case, why shouldn’t we table a proposal in the executive committee to take action against you for clearly violating the statute in this manner?”
He also advised General Secretary Upreti not to misuse NADA’s letterhead.
