Mumbai, Aug 10 — The Cine & TV Artistes’ Association (CINTAA), which is the oldest representative body for actors, has strongly rejected claims about its Executive Committee getting dissolved. It has called the assertions incorrect, misconceived and unsupported by the Association’s Constitution.
Earlier, alleged mass resignations of 11 members of the body was widely reported. Out of these 8 were elected Executive Committee members.
In a strongly worded public notice, CINTAA stated, “All concerned are hereby informed that some confusion is being sought to be created by some disgruntled members of CINTAA for oblique motives. Our Union is fully operational and functional through its EC. Take note”.
Reports of mass resignation surfaced over the alleged unilateral decision-making by CINTAA President Poonam Dhillon and Senior Vice President Padmini Kolhapure, along with a section of other Executive Committee members.
Advocate Suvigya Vidyarthi, Legal Counsel representing CINTAA, said, “The version which has been circulating that the EC of CINTAA is dissolved is totally wrong, misconceived and lacks any judicial sanctity. As per the Constitution of CINTAA, the EC shall dissolve only when more than 50 per cent of the elected members of the EC resign, which is not the case at hand. FWICE has now jumped into the fray and, in CINTAA’s considered view, has sought to assume powers that are neither known to nor recognised under CINTAA’s constitutional framework. Acting, as we understand it, at the behest of certain disgruntled individuals, it has issued directions which CINTAA considers wholly untenable and contrary to the Constitution of the Association”.
“Such attempts cannot determine or override the internal governance of an autonomous trade union functioning under its own Constitution. The Executive Committee of CINTAA remains very much in existence and continues to function for the welfare of artistes and for the protection and strengthening of the rights of vulnerable actors. CINTAA will take all appropriate steps available to it to safeguard the autonomy of the Association, uphold its Constitution and protect the larger interests of its members”, they added.
For 68 years, the Association has addressed critical issues affecting artistes, including contracts, timely payments, workplace disputes, professional safeguards and ethical standards in professional engagements. It has also supported artistes in distress and assisted members facing professional and personal challenges.
As per CINTAA, its Constitution provides that the Executive Committee can stand dissolved only when more than 50 per cent of its elected members resign. The Association maintains that no such situation has arisen and that its Executive Committee therefore remains valid, operational and fully functional.
The body stressed that the Association is not merely an office or a particular Executive Committee. It is a 68-year-old institution built around the collective representation of actors, generations of whom have turned to the Association when faced with professional disputes, non-payment, unfair treatment or vulnerability within an industry where individual artistes may not always possess adequate bargaining strength.
CINTAA maintained that disagreements, resignations or changes within an organisation cannot, by themselves, be used to erase either its constitutional structure or its institutional legitimacy.