Kathmandu, September 18

Former presidents of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) have proposed to amend the organisation’s statute to elect its president through direct election only after the tenure of incoming president Shekhar Golchha ends.

A meeting of seven former FNCCI presidents, including Padma Jyoti, Rabi Bhakta Shrestha, Pradeep Kumar Shrestha, Suraj Vaidya, Kush Kumar Joshi, Binod Bahadur Shrestha and Mahesh Lal Pradhan, on Tuesday, registered a proposal at the statute amendment committee of FNCCI to amend the firm’s statute introducing directly elected president system only after the tenure of next president finishes.

The special annual general meeting (AGM) of FNCCI to amend its statute to elect its next president through direct election is scheduled for November 15.

The FNCCI’s statute was last amended in October 2016 just before the election of incumbent leadership Bhawani Rana, when a provision was introduced whereby the senior vice-president will be directly appointed as president after the president completes the tenure.

However, a group of members, led by a former president of FNCCI, Chandi Raj Dhakal, who is also a senior member of the federation, had tabled the proposal to call special AGM backing directly elected presidential system. Interestingly, Dhakal himself was the major player behind FNCCI’s statute amendment process in 2016 and introducing the controversial provision.

Sources said that as the incumbent Senior Vice-President Golchha and his team refused to provide any ‘support’ to Dhakal, who is reportedly reeling under huge debt, he has reverted on his earlier stance and is calling for direct election of president at FNCCI.

“We have recommended to amend the statute introducing a provision of directly elected presidential system but that it should not be applicable to the incumbent executive committee of FNCCI,” informed a former FNCCI president, seeking anonymity.

Meanwhile, former FNCCI presidents have also suggested scrapping the post of senior member at FNCCI through special AGM. If this happens, Dhakal will automatically lose his post.