CHENNAI: The much-awaited election of the executive committee of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) will be held on July 6. Former Jammu and Kashmir High Court Chief Justice Mahesh Mittal Kumar, who was appointed returning officer by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Monday, issued a notice in this regard on Tuesday.
A clear 21-day notice is required to hold the special general meeting where elections can be conducted. As the notice was issued on Tuesday, the polls could have been held on July 4. However, the date was pushed by a couple of days as was reported by this daily.
The WFI's executive committee comprises a president and a senior vice-president apart from a secretary-general and a treasurer. Besides, it also consists of four vice presidents, two joint secretaries and five executive members.
The notice has been mailed to the affiliated state units. Each of these associations has to send the names of two representatives for preparing an electoral college by 5 pm on June 19. The electoral college will be prepared and circulated to affiliate members on June 22. The same will also be displayed on the IOA and WFI websites.
As per the notification, the nomination forms have to be submitted to the returning officer in person from June 23 to 25 between 11 am to 5 pm. The returning officer will scrutinise the nominations on June 28 by 11 am and display the list of validly nominated candidates by 2 pm.
Withdrawal of candidatures can be done from June 28 to July 1 while the final list of contesting candidates will be prepared and displayed on July 2. "Polling (during Special General Body Meeting), if necessary will be held on 06/07/2023 (Friday) from 11.00 am to 1.20 pm. Counting of votes from 1.30 pm onwards on the same day. Declaration of results after counting of votes on 06/07/2023 (Friday) after counting of votes is over," read the notice.
The notice clearly says that nominations shall adhere to the stipulations of relevant provisions of the ratified constitution of the WFI and the model guidelines, 2011 issued by the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Government of India.
Ad hoc committee for VFI
The IOA on Tuesday announced the appointment of a four-member ad hoc committee for the Volleyball Federation of India (VFI). A fifth member — a retired judge of the Supreme Court/High Court — will be appointed later as a returning officer. A statement issued by the IOA says that the formation of the ad hoc committee has been undertaken in consultation and recommendation of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB).
The committee will be headed by Rohit Rajpal (Executive Council Member, IOA) as its Chairman. The other three members are Alaknanda Ashok (Joint Secretary, IOA), S Gopinath (IPS Retd. & former athlete) and Stephen Bock (FIVB Head of Legal & General Counsel).
"The ad hoc committee will be responsible for the management of the day-to-day affairs of the Volleyball Federation of India with immediate effect, including following the due process for the selection of athletes, competitions, and managing sportspersons' participation in international events," read the statement.
