Bhupender Singh Bajwa’s request leads to revision of WFI election schedule again

According to the revised schedule, the deadline to submit names for the electoral college is July 24 by 5 pm.

The logo of Wrestling Federation of India, used for representative purposes only. (Photo | Twitter)

CHENNAI: The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) election schedule has been revised once again on Saturday. This time the rescheduling has been done at the request of Bhupender Singh Bajwa, a member of the ad-hoc committee running the WFI.

As per the revised schedule, the last date for receiving the names for the electoral college is July 24 by 5 pm. Earlier, in the election notification issued on Friday by the returning officer Justice MM Kumar, retired chief justice of the J&K High Court, the process was deemed completed on June 25, the day when the election process was stayed by the Gauhati High Court on hearing a petition of the Assam Wrestling Association. 

The stay was later vacated by the Supreme Court paving way for holding the WFI elections. The revised schedule means the preparation and display of the electoral college and circulation to affiliates and publishing of the same on the website of the Indian Olympic Association and WFI will now be done on July 25.

As per Friday’s schedule, the process has to be completed by Friday, July 21.

“The preparation and display of the electoral college etc at item no (3) was scheduled to be completed by yesterday (Friday) itself but had to be deferred because shri Bhupender Singh Bajwa, member ad-hoc committee, WFI, sent an intimation accompanied by his affidavit stating that some of the state units did not file their request to make changes in the nomination already sent or could not make fresh nomination as the interim stay order by the Honourable Gauhati High Court was issued at 11 am on 25.6.2023. According to Mr Bajwa, these state units felt restrained from filing any request for change in the names already sent or filing fresh nominations. It has therefore been requested that adequate opportunity be granted to everyone to make fresh nomination/seek changes in the nomination already made,” reads the order issued by the returning officer on Saturday.

The remaining schedule, for now, stays the same with the election, if required, to be held on August 12.

Justice Kumar, however, made it clear citing the WFI constitution that the state units should only send names of their executive members and not ordinary members or outsiders who are not eligible to be nominated. Some experts are questioning Bajwa’s motive behind postponing the nomination process. Something that was deferred earlier also. Bajwa remained incommunicado for his comments on the issue.