CHENNAI: A day after the Delhi High Court set aside Indian Olympic Association's ad-hoc panel, the Boxing Federation of India has announced the dates for the elections which was overdue. According to a circular signed by secretary general Hemanta Kalita, the 10th Annual General Meeting of the BFI will be held on March 28 under the chairmanship of its president Ajay Singh in Delhi NCR.
The tenure of the last elected body ended on February 2/3 this year and that led to complications including formation of an ad-hoc committee by the Indian Olympic Association primarily to conduct elections. There had been protests against the president during the National Games for not calling for elections but as things stand, all members seem to be on the same page.
The agenda for the AGM are confirmation of minutes of the previous meeting; election of office bearers and other members of the Executive Council of Boxing Federation of India for the tenure 2025 to 2029 and any other matter with permission from the chair.
Ajay Singh, who has completed two four-year terms, is set to contest for the third and last term as per the 2011 National Sports Development Code of India. In the last election, he got the better of Ashish Shelar 37-27. Kalita, on the other hand, has finished two four-year terms as treasurer and secretary general. According to NSDCI and Delhi HC order, office bearers must go into mandatory cooling off after two terms. The election procedure has already started and a Returning Office will be announced soon. After the tiff between the BFI president and the other two office bearers and members the election would be interesting. It needs to be seen if the treasurer against whom allegations of financial irregularities have been made and an enquiry set up would continue in the post. If so, then two office bearers post would fall vacant. If everything goes off well, all eyes will be on at least one post (secretary general), if not two (treasurer as well).