Cheryl Misquitta Resigns as Bandra Gymkhana President Ahead of EGM
Dr Cheryl Misquitta resigned as the president of the Bandra Gymkhana on Saturday night, leading to the cancellation of an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) scheduled for Sunday, August 9, which was called to decide on her continuation in office. Her resignation letter was submitted at 9:10 p.m. and accepted by the Managing Committee of the 7,000-member club in Bandra.
Following the acceptance of her resignation, the Gymkhana issued a notice cancelling the Sunday EGM and apologised to members for the last-minute decision. Misquitta’s departure brings an end to a prolonged conflict over her election and leadership at the club, which was established in 1934.
In her resignation letter dated August 8, Misquitta stated that she was stepping down with a deep sense of disappointment and sadness. She alleged that she had faced a sustained and malicious campaign against her since her election as president on September 28, 2025. Citing the personal and emotional toll of the controversy, Misquitta stated that she could no longer function effectively as president under the prevailing circumstances.
The Gymkhana denied her allegations. Roger Pereira, Permanent Trustee of the Gymkhana, described her resignation as expected and stated that members had objected to her conduct. Pereira cited an internal investigation into incidents involving staff, alleging that staff were subjected to verbal abuse and that cups of hot coffee were flung at them. He also alleged that video and CCTV evidence showed election files being stolen and security footage being deleted.
Misquitta countered that allegations of vote tampering, file manipulation, and CCTV deletion were weaponised against her. She pointed to an inquiry report released on February 2, 2026, by retired Bombay High Court judge Justice SC Gupte, which she said found the election process to be fair and reliable and did not hold her responsible for any wrongdoing. She further alleged that the Managing Committee and trustees failed to circulate the complete report to members until recently.
The governance dispute had previously reached the courts after an EGM in March removed Misquitta from her post. Pereira noted that the March no-confidence motion passed with 352 members in favour and none against. However, Misquitta challenged her removal as a violation of club rules, and the Bombay High Court quashed the resolution, reinstating her as president on July 23.
Within days of the High Court order, the Managing Committee called another EGM with the agenda of removing her once again, leading to her resignation on Saturday night before the scheduled vote.
