CHENNAI: A day after Volleyball Federation of India (VFI) secretary Ramavtar Singh Jakhar expressed shock at its president S Vasudevan’s decision to call for an election, the latter responded by saying that he was merely acting as per the constitution of the body. “According to the current constitution and bylaws in force, the president is authorised to call such a meeting,” he told this newspaper.
Vasudevan had sent a letter to various state associations specifying that an election had been called on March 15 in Chennai and that a returning officer had been appointed for the same. His letter came after the sports ministry had told the VFI that the current regime’s tenure was ending in April and directed them to conduct their elections in March. That directive was subject to much protest by VFI officials with some claiming that it was tantamount to interference.
Jakhar had said that Vasudevan had no right to call such an election and that only the secretary had the power to do so. An executive committee meeting had been scheduled for February 21 in Chittorgarh which would decide on elections, he said. He had also said that he had not been informed by Vasudevan about calling such a meeting. But Vasudevan, on Monday, played down any suggestion of controversy and said that he had nothing against Jakhar. “We are just following the constitution. I have nothing against the secretary. According to me, there is no controversy,” he said.
The confusion between the two parties threatens to drag the VFI, which is only just recovering from suspension, back into chaos. After a lengthy suspension, the VFI had been recognised by the sports ministry in July 2017 and the world body (FIVB) in May 2018.