CHENNAI: PT Usha and sports ministry are at loggerheads over the Indian Golf Union recognition. Usha on Tuesday respodned to a January 2 letter by the sports ministry and said the letter was written without going through facts of the matter.
Two annual general meetings (AGMs) were held on December 15 to elect the new IGU office-bearers. One was held at the India Habitat Centre (IHC) where Brijinder Singh was re-elected president with retired Punjab and Haryana High Court judge, Rameshwar Malik, as the Returning Officer, and the other at the Olympic Bhawan, where Shetty was elected with Justice OP Garg (Retd) as the RO. Usha said the IOA gave recognition to the faction led by Shetty after having “reviewed the facts” and “examined the procedural adherence”.
Usha also claimed that the ministry’s concerns that the IOA recognition of the IGU elections violates the National Sports Code ‘unfounded’. In fact, she gave examples of several NSFs which have failed to conduct elections even after completion of their terms almost three years back but continue to have recognition from the ministry in violation of the NSDC 2011. She also mentioned how Wrestling Federation of India has yet not been recognised by the ministry since election in December 2023 despite the NSF being recognised by international federation (UWW).
The IOA president also cited an article of the IGU constitution which talks about quorum mandatory for a valid AGM. “This specific provision (Article 22 of the IGU Constitution) mandates the presence of a minimum 10 number of State Golf Associations (SGAs) for a valid Annual General Meeting (AGM). The recognition of this faction, despite the participation of only 09 (Nine) out of the 31 (Thirty One) recognised SGAs as on the date of commencement of the election process, renders the conduct of the AGM and subsequent elections void,” Usha wrote.
“Despite the presence of the Ministry appointed Observer at the said AGM in which the minimum quorum for conducting elections was not even remotely met, the reasons for unlawful endorsement of the election to the minority faction of the IGU by the Ministry is not understood. It is on record, that the AGM and election of IGU held under Justice OP Garg (Retd) held on 15 December 2024 at the Olympic Bhavan, New Delhi had an attendance of 21 out of the total 31 SGA’s. Therefore, since the requisite quorum was met and a valid meeting held in accordance with the byelaws/constitution of the IGU, the lOA has deemed the election of the office bearers of the GU at this meeting as valid and accorded recognition to the new office bearers of the IGU.”
“The selective application of norms undermines the credibility of sports governance in India and the spirit of fair play that we aim to uphold. I look forward to your intervention to address these concerns at the earliest,” said Usha.