Chennai,  The All India Chess Federation (AICF) need not send the notice of its general body meeting to R.M. Dongre, President, FIDE Zone 3.7 as it does not recognise him, said a senior official.

"The AICF does not recognise Dongre. Going by our byelaws we need not send any notice of the General Body meeting to him," Bharat Singh Chauhan, Secretary, told IANS.

He was responding to Dongre's complaint that AICF had not sent the notice and other papers relating to the recently held Special General Body Meeting in Jaipur, which he was entitled to attend.

In a letter to AICF President, Dongre had said that a Special General Body Meeting can be called only for urgent matters and not to clear a huge agenda where vindictive actions are sought against state chess associations and individuals.

So why does AICF not recognise Dongre as FIDE Zone 3.7 President?

The newly elected AICF's body got its General Body's ratification in February this year for the nomination of Gujarat State Chess Association President Ajay Patel as the country's nominee for the Zone 3.7 position.

The Zone 3.7 position was held by Dongre.

On receipt of the communication from AICF, the global chess body FIDE had replaced Dongre's name with that of Patel's on its website as Zone 3.7 President.

Objecting to FIDE's move, Dongre wrote to the global chess body.

"I wrote a letter to the FIDE President citing its own rules on the circumstances a person can be changed for the post. The FIDE then referred the matter to its Constitutional Commission which deliberated the matter and decided in my favour," Dongre had told IANS.

Dongre said only the FIDE General Assembly can change a Zonal President and AICF should have sufficient reason to recommend the change.

Subsequently, FIDE amended its website uploading Dongre's name and picture in the place of Patel's.

On the three year suspension handed over to International Master and AICF Joint Secretary Atanu Lahiri, the AICF Secretary Chauhan said: "Lahiri's reply to the show cause notice reeked of arrogance. He did not to the points raised."

"I was issued a show cause notice by the former President of AICF. Even though I was the Secretary, I replied to the notice point wise," Chauhan said.

Adding further he said: "At AICF we are now looking at the welfare of players, developing the game further and taking it to the grassroot level."