CHENNAI: The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) election is heading towards a dramatic finish. After much speculation over former sports minister Anurag Thakur’s potential candidature, the final list of nominated candidates for elections was published on Monday. Expectedly, his name did not figure as it was deleted over violation of rules specified in a letter issued by the BFI president, Ajay Singh, on March 7.
As expected, Singh has been nominated for the post of president twice by different sets of proposers and seconders. Going by the List of Nominated Candidates published by Returning Officer RK Gauba, three other names will be contesting for the posts. Former secretary general (Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF) and Indian Boxing Federation), Rajesh Bhandari, and current secretary general, Hemanta Kalita, have filed nominations. The fourth name is that of D Chandralal from Kerala.
Interestingly, in a sport where women have fetched more Olympic and world championship medals from an Indian perspective, there is only one representative in the whole Electoral College of 58 and will be contesting for both treasurer and joint secretary (central zone). The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) constitution mandates that National Sports Federations are represented by one male and one female member in the general assembly.
Going by the list of proposers and seconders, it is evident that two distinctive panels are emerging and the BFI chief has a few senior members backing him. However, in BFI elections until the day of voting, nothing can be concluded with certainty. The could be withdrawals and of course, switching loyalties cannot be ruled out. The name of the venue has been announced by BFI chief (on March 28 in Gurugram).
Uttarakhand boxing unit’s Gopal Singh Kholia, Sai Satish N from Karnataka boxing association and Dhirendra Singh from Rajasthan have proposed and seconded Singh’s (Uttarakhand boxing body) name. Similarly, Assam’s Kamal Chandra Goyary and Swapan Banerjee from the Bengal unit proposed and seconded Assam’s Kalita. While Bhandari’s name was proposed and seconded by Daman and Diu’s Jeetendra Patel and Gujarat’s ID Nanavati. Chandralal had support from DN Brahmbhatt from Gujarat and R Rajendran from Chhattisgarh.
There are four members contesting for the post of secretary general. Like Singh, Pramod Kumar from the Uttar Pradesh boxing unit has been nominated twice. Manje Gowda from Karnataka, Gopal Singh (Uttarakhand) and Dhirendra (Rajasthan) proposed and seconded his name. Satish N, who proposed Singh’s name for president’s post, too has filed to contest for secretary general’s post (proposed and seconded by Rajan Sharma of J&K and Dhirendra Singh). Senior member Nirmolak Singh is on the electoral roll from J&K.
Other names are Anil Kumar Bohidar of Odisha boxing unit proposed and seconded by Arunachal Pradesh’s Teli Kahi and Mizoram’s Saithangpuia Sailo. Digvijay Singh (from Madhya Pradesh unit), the incumbent treasurer is the last name on the list. He is supported by Kalita and Abhay Bhati of Madhya Pradesh.
If there are four names for president and secretary’s posts, for treasurer there are six names making the elections more complicated. R Gopu of Puducherry, Santosh Dutta (Punjab) and Smita Kumari (Bihar) are supported by the same names that proposed and seconded Singh and Pramod’s names. Similarly, the names of Anil Kumar Bohidar, Digvijay Singh and Pon Bhaskaran’s names are forwarded by set of people supporting Bhandari and Kalita. Interestingly, Chandralal has proposed Nanavati’s name as Vice President (West). Bhandari too figures in the Vice President’s sections. A total of 29 persons are contesting for 19 posts. Senior member Narendra Kumar Nirwan from Rajasthan too is backed by Gopal Singh (who proposed Ajay Singh) and CK Jerath of Chandigarh.
With the house divided, there are quite a few parameters that are going to settle the elections in one person’s favour. Singh has managed to keep former sports minister Thakur away and that has given him an advantage.
Close eye on recent Delhi HC orders
According to Delhi High Court order of 01.02.2024 in gymnastics federation hearing the two-judge bench of judges Rajiv Sakdher and Subramonium Prasad had ruled the NSFs have follow the 16.08.2022 Delhi High Court Order where the 13 pitfalls listed by Rahul Mehra have been explained in detail. This means that the National Sports Development Code of India 2011 should be read along with the 16.08.2022 Delhi HC order. This also talks about re-election of office-bearers and their tenures.
It needs to be seen if Kalita will be eligible to contest election without a mandatory cooling off period after completing two four-year terms as officer bearers (treasurer and secretary general). And whether re-election of office-bearers including the president needs to be 2/3 majority as the 16.08.2022 order states.
The February 1, 2024 order says, “Mr Soni (representing Union of India), in no uncertain terms, says that the directions contained in the judgment dated 16.08.2022 would apply to the NSF as well. 4. We tend to agree with Mr Soni. In our view, the judgment dated 16.08.2022 is a judgment in rem and therefore the directions contained therein will apply mutatis mutandis to the NSF, including the applicant/federation.” The order concluded: “…if any direction is peculiar to only the parties who stand arrayed in WP(c) 195/2020, in which the judgment dated 16.08.2022 was rendered, as and when such issue is brought to the notice of the Court, appropriate orders will be passed. Short of this, there will be strict compliance with the directions contained in the judgment dated 16.08.2022.”