NEW DELHI, Jan 10 (UNI): With the Sports Ministry tightening itsnoose, the plans of some of the factions within the Indian OlympicAssociation (IOA), who were hoping to contest the Hockey India (HI)elections, may go haywire.
The Sports Minsitry has decided that the present Hockey India office-bearers and IOA officials will not be allowed to contest the elections which have already been postponed because of the delay in affiliation of some of the state units.
Sources have told UNI that the government does not want any involvment of any of the HI and IOA officials once the election process is set in motion.
The development has come as a huge setback for many within the ad-hoc body, which was appointed to run the sport in the country until an elected body is formed, and there were others in the IOA who too wanted to have their share in the unified body.
The Sports Ministry has already communicated its decision to International Hockey Federation (FIH) vice-president Antonio Von Ondarza.
The Government has asked that all its directions need to be implemented, "for giving the country a credible body at the national level for the promotion and development of hockey in India, which is also popularly perceived as the national game (of the country)." While some of the current office bearers of Hockey India would be ruing the Government's stand, the decision should not come as music to the ears of IOA president Suresh Kalmadi who will also not be able to contest the elections.
"The same rule would apply to IOA because the foundation board of Hockey India was constituted by IOA by invoking its extraordinary powers," the Ministry stated.
The Governement has directed the officials that every single stage relating to the election needs to be marked clearly and there shouldn't be any ambiguity in the whole procedure.
"There should be a clear schedule marking each stage of the election, viz last date for receipt of nominations, scrutiny of nominations, publication of list of valid nominations, withdrawal of nominations, publications of final list of valid nominations and conduct of elections," the Ministry added.
Hockey India has also been instructed to finalise the composition of electoral college immediately and an independent returning officer should also be appointed at the earliest.
"There will be a seven-day gap between the issue of election notice and last date for receipt of nominations; one-day screening of nominations and publication of valid list of nominaitons on the same day; three days for withdrawal of candidature; one day for publication of the list of candidates and five days for holding the elections," it stated.
The Ministry has asked Hockey India (HI) to complete the affilation process as soon as possible and tomorrow the members of the ad-hoc body will meet over to discuss the recognition of some of the state units who have not been granted affiliation yet.