CHENNAI: In another setback for former sports minister Anurag Thakur, returning officer for the Boxing Federation of India election RK Gauba, former Delhi High Court judge, has ruled that the Electoral College prepared and published by its president Ajay Singh is final. This means that the name of Thakur, whose name was forwarded by the Himachal Pradesh Boxing Association (HPBA), stays deleted. Thus making him ineligible to contest elections of the BFI.
The BFI secretary had taken out another list late on Wednesday with Thakur’s name on it. The dramatic development took place late on Thursday, which also means that taking the matter to Delhi High Court would not be possible because of Holi holidays before the deadline for nominations, which ends at 6pm on March 16. It needs to be seen what the Thakur faction does now.
The ruling of the RO was on expected lines because in most of the National Sports Federation and even the Indian Olympic Association, the president has sweeping powers and can overrule secretary’s list.
The RO said in his order that having heard all concerned parties, the list prepared by BFI secretary Hemanta Kalita cannot be acted upon because of the unambiguous rules vesting in him the “overall office supervision” over the working of the BFI. "The present incumbent has prepared his own Electoral College list but presented it to the president. Since the president had a different take on some of the nominations, the secretary general at best put up his views before the president…” The RO said that according to the BFI rules and regulations and Model election Code, “primacy to the views of president over that of the secretary general in the nominations to the Electoral College.”
The RO had also rejected Delhi Amateur Boxing Association representation to the Electoral College.