CHENNAI: After tussle between two factions that turned acrimonious at times, the School Games Federation of India held its elections on Tuesday. Double Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar has been re-elected as the president, while Vijay Santan will be the secretary.
According to Sushil, the election was conducted as per the 2011 National Sports Development Code of India. “We have followed the sports code and accordingly elected our office bearers,” he told this daily. “We hope to work for the development of sports for the students across the country.”
As per sports ministry’s directive, the SGFI also left out those candidates who had been charged with some kind of misconduct. “We have chosen good people,” said Sushil. It is understood that the election was unanimous. Surendra Singh Bhati is the treasurer. There are eight vice presidents and joint secretaries; six executive members.
The election was held after the ministry declared SGFI election held on December 29, 2020 null and void. The ministry had said the election was not conducted as per norms laid out in the sports code. Sushil was heading the SGFI and he said the appointment of returning officer should have been done by him. Instead, its earlier secretary-general Rajesh Mishra appointed the RO and called for the polls without Sushil’s knowledge.
It is learnt the other faction led by Mishra might object to the elections and even drag the matter to the court. “The HC of Chhattisgarh, Bilaspur accepted our plea and directed the meeting dated on March 9 shall be subject to further decision of this court,” said Alok Khare, who was elected secretary in the previous election.