Mumbai, Jan 15 (IANS): Boxing Federation of India (BFI) secretary general Jay Kowli has set the ball rolling to hold the much-delayed BFI elections on February 3, by sending out a notice calling for an Annual General Meeting (AGM) to all state units.
Among the seven items listed on the agenda of the AGM is election of office-bearers and members of executive council which had become a contentious issue after incumbent president Ajay Singh had cancelled the entire process by citing the Covid-19 pandemic when it was supposed to take place on December 18.
The UP Amateur Boxing Association had sought the Delhi High Court's intervention against this, claiming that there wasn't sufficient cause to delay the elections while also expressing concern about the role played by the Returning Officer who was appointed to oversee the process.
Two federations had felt short-changed by the Returning Officer's decision to change the names in the Electoral College and had even filed an intervention petition in the UP plea, charging that the Returning Officer had not adhered to the BFI constitution while finalising the voters list.
"Our entire goal is to have a free and fair election and also to ensure that they are completed on time so that we don't face the risk of being de-recognised by the sports ministry," Kowli explained in a statement.
"The Delhi HC order, which has been annexed along with the calling notice, makes it clear that we have to hold the elections on the date prescribed as per the rules of the Memorandum of Association and Rules & Regulations of the Boxing Federation of India (read with the National Sports Code-2011). This applies to all office-bearers of the federation as well as the Returning Officer," Kowli added.
According to the revised schedule, all state units have to send in their nominations to be included in the electoral college by January 19. The nominations for contesting for any post will have to be filed by January 21 and the withdrawals, if any, by January 28.
The AGM, to be held at Hotel Westin in Gurugram, will begin at 10.30 am on February 3 and the voting will take place from 11.30 am, followed by the counting.