WFI to conduct elections on July 4, IOA appoint former Chief Justice Mahesh Mittal Kumar as returning officer

The Indian Olympic Association has appointed former Chief Justice Mahesh Mittal Kumar as returning officer for the elections

SportsTak

• Mon • 12 Jun 2023

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has appointed former Chief Justice Mahesh Mittal Kumar as the returning officer for the upcoming Wrestlers Federation of India (WFI) elections, to be held on July 4. The date of June 30 which was earlier promised to the protesting wrestlers by Sports Minister Anurag Thakur is impossible to meet as a 21-day notice is required to call the Special General Meeting (SGM) of the WFI.

Thakur had assured the wrestlers that the government will not allow family members or associates of outgoing WFI president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh to contest the elections, after which the wrestlers brought a pause to their protests till June 15.

Meanwhile, IOA CEO Kalyan Chaubey has informed 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."

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.