CHENNAI: The Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOMs) nomination guidelines have been laid on Monday. The last day for filing nomination is October 27. According to the latest circular by the IOA election returning officer (RO), Sanjay K Srivastava, only individuals forming part of the male and female SOM roster can propose or second any eligible individual interested in contesting SOM elections. The nomination of names also must be from the SOM roster itself. As per the circular, voting will be done virtually.
According to the circular, there is no bar in a male SOM proposing or seconding a female eligible candidate or the other way round. That means, the entire 80 SOMs will be in play for nomination as well. This also could be an indicator that all 80 could be eligible to vote for four SOM each in male and female category. The RO is expected to lay out the guidelines soon.
But before that, all eyes will be on the nomination process as well. There are heavyweight sports-stars in SOMs who could be contesting like current IOA president PT Usha, current vice-president Gagan Narang, former Athletics Federation of India president Adille Sumariwalla, Olympic medallists Vijender Singh, Saina Nehwal, World championships medallist Anju Bobby George, former Asian Games medallist and sports administrator Manisha Malhotra, etc.
However, one individual can propose or second only one eligible candidate in the male SOM category and only one eligible candidate in the female SOM category. The circular also says that any individual proposing or seconding more than one eligible candidate shall result in such candidature being deemed as rejected. And "Once a nomination has been delivered to the undersigned, a Proposer or Seconder cannot withdraw their name."
The rules also say that any nomination received which has the same proposer or seconder as in a previous nomination, "the one received later in time shall be deemed rejected".
