For the past several weeks now, there has been an unusual flurry of activity in an otherwise remote and desolate corner of the sprawling Government Estate campus in Chepauk, where the Chennai Pathrikaiyalar Mandram (commonly known as Chennai Press Club) is located.
A small group of veteran city journalists have been assembling here almost every day to scrutinise hundreds of applications from fellow media professionals, often followed by in-person visits by the applicants, in an effort to streamline the membership to the prestigious club. The institution, in existence since 1970, was founded by former union minister and DMK stalwart Murasoli Maran.
The senior journalists, part of the 12-member Special Guidance Committee constituted by the general body of the Press Club in August 2023, hope that their efforts will bear fruit on December 15, 2024, when elections will be held to fill the posts of president, vice president, general secretary, joint secretary, treasurer, and other members of the managing committee after a gap of 25 years.
Elections at the Chennai Press Club were last held in 1999. However, a legal dispute delayed the counting of votes until 2001, when a new set of office-bearers assumed charge and continued to run the club, registered under the Societies Registration Act of 1860, until 2003 I.e. end of their tenure.
“A decision was taken by the outgoing office-bearers to continue running the operations of the club until a new building was constructed, after which they planned to hold fresh polls to elect the new managing committee,” said D. Suresh Kumar, deputy resident editor at The Hindu and a member of the Special Guidance Committee.
However, the decision was not agreed upon by all office-bearers. Those opposing the delay in conducting polls vacated their posts, leaving just two or three office bearers to manage the club’s day-to-day operations.
The construction of the new building took a few years. During this period, new members were inducted as co-opted members and, when vacancies arose in the managing committee, some of the co-opted members even became office-bearers.
However, there was discontent among the media fraternity over these developments; some of the members challenged these appointments and insisted on holding fresh elections. But, the office-bearers at the time continued to evade and managed the club’s day-to-day operations.
In 2016, the matter went to the courts again when senior journalist A. Selvaraj and two others filed a petition seeking fresh elections for the club. While disposing the petition, Justice Sundaresan of the Madras High Court held that elections should be held in the next three months and appointed retired Justice K. Chandru as election officer with advocate Balan Haridas to assist him.
Justice Sundaresan also pointed out that the co-option of members in 2005 was illegal since there was no managing committee at the time as its tenure had already expired in 2003. However, the court allowed the current office-bearers to continue managing the club’s daily operations, noted Suresh Kumar.
Despite the three-month deadline given by the court, elections did not take place and Justice K. Chandru resigned from his position about a year later.
Rival Chennai Press Club formed
With the prospect of conducting democratic elections still in limbo, a few disgruntled journalists including A. Selvaraj and C. Vimaleswaran — unhappy with the way the club was run — registered a new body named “Chennai Press Club under the Societies Act as the original club was registered as “Chennai Patrikaiyalar Sangam.”
Explaining the move, Selvaraj said, “We were unhappy with the undemocratic, illegal ways the club was run and didn’t want to just sit and watch. When we found that the society registered for the old press club had become defunct, we registered a new club at a different address and even obtained the IP protection for the club’s logo since it wasn’t trademark protected. As of now, others cannot use the title ‘Chennai Press Club’ or the logo, as it’s registered by us.”
Selvaraj added that their club had nearly 420 working journalists as members, enrolled after proper scrutiny. “While we know the Chennai Pathrikaiyalar Mandram is preparing to hold elections, who will hold the de facto office-bearers accountable for misusing the club premises and funds?” he asked.
Where is the money, honey?
At the core of this dispute are allegations of financial irregularities and unclear accounting practices by the managing committee for the past two decades.
The Chennai Press Club has at least two air-conditioned halls for press meets and events, rented out at Rs 5,000 per hall, with additional charges per event. The revenue from these rentals covers the salaries of the club’s staff, including a manager, two housekeeping staff, one attender, and a casual attender.
Sources claimed that besides the hall fee, an ad hoc cost is often charged to ensure media coverage for events, which varies depending on the event and its organisers.
Selvaraj and his associates alleged that over the years, several lakh rupees might have been misappropriated due to a lack of transparency in accounting practices. “Our main grievance is that the current organising committee doesn’t hold those who misused funds accountable,” he said.
Members of the Special Guidance Committee clarified that while ensuring financial transparency is a priority, their role is limited to conducting elections and ensuring the democratic process is resumed. “It will be the new management committee’s mandate to address financial and other irregularities as per the bylaws,” they said.
Meanwhile, several members of the Patrikaiyalar Sangam have expressed interest in contesting the elections. “At least one or two members have filed nominations, and more are expected before scrutiny begins,” said Suresh Kumar.
With elections scheduled for December 15, a majority of media professionals in the city hope that the club gets a new makeover and functions for journalists’ welfare.
“We look at press clubs in other states and the facilities they offer with awe. Our intent is to bring the Chennai Press Club on par with the best in the country. It’s up to every member to work towards that goal,” said veteran journalist R. Bhagwan Singh, also a member of the Special Guidance Committee.
This story first appeared in www.influencing.com