CHENNAI: The notice for election of the Executive Council of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) was issued by Returning Officer Umesh Sinha on Wednesday. The notification called for nominations from National Sports Federation of India (NSFs) part of the Olympic, Asian and Commonwealth Games programmes.
The election will be held as per the Supreme Court-appointed one-member committee of retired judge L Nagenswara Rai’s amended constitution that was approved by the SC and later ratified by the IOA’s general body during its Special General Meeting on November 10.
The names one male and one female should reach the RO’s office by 5pm on November 20. Preparation and display of the electoral college will be on November 21 by 11 am. If NSFs fail to nominate a female member, their vote will be lost. All eyes will be on the electoral college as candidate for the president’s post could be from it.
As per the IOA constitution, members of the two representatives of the Athletes Commission and eight Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit will form the electoral college and they too are eligible to contest elections. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Member in India too will have voting right.
Submission of nomination paper will be between November 25 to 27 (5pm) and the display will be on November 29, with the final list out on November 30 (4pm). Withdrawal date is from December 1 to 3, while results would be declared by 3pm after the elections on December 10.
Sinha will prepare the final electoral college. At least there are a couple of NSFs (Table Tennis Federation of India and Judo Federation of India) that are ruled by administrators. The members are not sure who would send the nominations.