Protest demonstration against AOA at the central park of Prateek Laurel apartment.
More than a year after they formed their apartment owners association (AOA) for their society, residents of Prateek Laurel, Sector 120, are split in two groups. While one group staged a protest march against the newly elected AOA, the other stood firm behind it.
The dissident group boycotted the recently held elections calling it illegal. They say while the term of all 10 members of the elected body ended on March 24, elections were held only for three members. Accusing the present AOA of conniving with the developer, the group demanded fresh elections for the entire association.
They have got three old members, Manish Kumar, Hamesh Varshney and Saurabh Harit retired and have chosen Pankaj Kumar Agrawal, Niraj Kumar and Rakesh Khetan in their place.
Saurav Harit, who was unceremoniously removed from the AOA without prior notice on Sunday, said as per the bye-laws, decision to remove a member from executive committee should be taken in the general body (GBM) meeting. But no GBM was convened in his case. Harit alleged a conspiracy between the AOA and the builder in not conducting fresh polls.
Dismissing the elections as farce, they claimed a majority of the residents boycotted it. They also alleged that the elections for three posts of the executive committee were conducted without taking all 700 members into confidence.
Anand Sharma, a resident of the apartment, contended that as the term of AOA has ended last month, all previous members should have quit their posts. Moreover, the AOA has not called annual general body meeting to present expenditure and proposed budget. Hence, they have decided to write to Deputy Registrar of Societies, Meerut, urging him to conduct fresh elections for all the members.
But Sandeep Singh, President of the AOA, claims he has followed the constitution. He said as per Bye Laws Clause 26 (ii), an arrangement shall be made by the board to ensure that one-third of the members of the board retire annually. Accordingly, the AOA board passed a resolution for retirement of the three old members to replace them with fresh members.
He said his rivals were protesting simply because they have lost the last elections.
