Wrestlers’ protest: WFI elections to be held on July 4

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Monday appointed former Jammu and Kashmir High Court Chief Justice Mahesh Mittal Kumar as the returning officer to conduct the impending Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections on July 4.

Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, after his meeting with protesting wrestlers on June 7, had said that WFI elections will be conducted by June 30 but it was clear that this deadline will be difficult to follow because a 21-day notice is required to call the Special General Meeting (SGM) of the WFI.

The elections can be conducted either at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) or SGM.
Thakur had assured the wresters that the government will not allow any of the family member or associates of outgoing WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh to contest elections, following which the wrestlers had halted their stir till June 15.

IOA CEO Kalyan Chaubey communicated Justice Mittal Kumar about his appointment and sought his acceptance for the role.

"IOA has to take steps forward to conduct elections of the WFI Executive Committee and we are pleased to appoint you as a returning officer to conduct the elections of the WFI. You many consider appointing one assistant returning officer and other staff to assist in conducting the elections," Chaubey wrote in the letter.

"Elections are required to be conducted in the SGM of the WFI called on 4th July and the schedule of the election will be required to be drawn accordingly. We look forward to your confirmation of acceptance and also smooth conduct of elections of the WFI on July 4."

Sources, however, said Justice Mittal Kumar can decide the date of the SGM and the elections on his own and it will be up to him to hold the polls on July 4 or a few days later.

The WFI has 25 affiliated units, including union territories Chandigarh and Delhi. Each state unit can send two representatives and each representative shall have one vote. So, the electoral college for the WFI elections will consist of 50 votes.

The state units can nominate only those representatives who are members of their executive bodies, according to the WFI constitution.

It remains to be seen what happens if the eligible candidates associated with Singh file their nomination for the elections.

Singh's son Karan was vice president in the previous WFI setup and is also associated with the UP wrestling association. His son-in-law Vishal Singh is the president of the Bihar Wrestling Association.

They are both eligible to contest as state body representatives.

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