CHENNAI: Amidst the difference of opinion between its president S Vasudevan and secretary Ramavtar Singh Jakhar over the Volleyball Federation of India elections, the latter, on Monday, told this newspaper that the question of contesting polls doesn’t arise as he is ineligible. Vasudevan had announced elections on March 15 in Chennai while Jakhar had communicated the VFI executive committee’s decision to hold it on March 12 in Jaipur. It had been widely speculated that the difference of opinion emerged due to Jakhar’s attempts to stay in office — one of the major bones of contention was a constitutional amendment made in late 2019 that allowed the secretary to contest for the post of president without a cooling-off period. But, Jakhar said that he will not contest the elections.
“I am a PSU employee,” he said. “As a PSU employee, I cannot contest elections as per a government order in 2017. They are saying I want to become VFI president but I was never eligible to do so. I am not eligible for a third term as I have completed two terms as secretary-general.”Vasudevan, when he sent a letter calling for elections, had cited a ‘supreme emergent situation’ resulting from the sports ministry objecting to amendments to the VFI constitution. The ministry, in a letter dated February 17, had objected to three newly amended clauses — about secretary/treasurer (after two terms) being able to contest for the post of president without a cooling-off period, the one that made only members of the last three executive committees eligible to contest for president/secretary and one that allowed for officer-bearers to be nominated.
But Jakhar claimed these three clauses had been removed by the VFI’s executive committee. “The executive committee met on February 21 in Chittorgarh, Rajasthan. They cancelled the president’s act of unilaterally calling for the elections,” he said. “Three amendments, which were objected to by the ministry in their letter, we have removed them. This has been approved by the executive committee and will be ratified in the next AGM.” He added that 19 members of the 22-member EC voted on these resolutions.
Jakhar also reiterated that he had no issue with Vasudevan. “The doors of the VFI are always open for Vasudevan because he is the head of the VFI. If he can come and join here, he can continue to be the president — he is eligible to contest,” he said. Vasudevan though reiterated that things would proceed as per his letter. “The elections will be held on March 15.” Both parties seem to be sticking to their stand. However, the ministry letter asks the VFI to approach them for an observer once the returning officer appointed by Vasudevan (Retd Justice RA Singh) issues the election notice.