Golf Club may pick president unanimously

Voting for the Chandigarh Golf Club (CGC) election is unlikely to happen as Ravibir Singh Grewal, the present president of the club, is likely to be picked unanimously for another term, said sources. The club released its annual election schedule recently.

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The new 11-member executive committee is likely to have some new faces. As per the practice, the elected president picks the 11-member committee in case of no voting. Recently, the CGC had announced that the elections would be held on January 25 and the results declared the next day.

“The winning margin was 401 votes last year. Considering this huge victory, no one is willing to contest the election this time. The club members are already aware of this, and now the hustle is all about picking the 11-member executive. Everyone has started lobbying for the same. However, the voting is surely not going to happen and Ravibir will continue for another term,” said the sources. The development has been confirmed by many members of the club.

If a unanimous election happens, it will be for the second time that Grewal will be chosen for the top post this way. In 2021, he was chosen president unanimously. In 2019, Sandeep Singh Sandhu was unanimously elected for one term. Owing to the Covid pandemic, he continued on the same post for 2020.

The CGC has 1,800 registered members. As per the election notification, the filing of nominations will start on January 3 (10 am) and continue till January 9 (5 pm). The scrutiny will be held on January 10 (5 pm), followed by withdrawal of nominations by January 11 (5 pm).

In the last election, three-time president Grewal defeated four-time former chief of the club Birinder Singh Gill by a margin of 401 votes. The election witnessed a record voter turnout. Of a total of 1,800 registered voters, 1,183 members cast their vote, the highest polling in the past five years. Grewal polled 790 votes and Gill bagged 389. Four votes were declared invalid.

In the 2023 election, Lt Col HS Chahal (retd), popularly known as Bobby Chahal, was re-elected as CGC president for the second term. He defeated Major Rajinder Singh Virk (retd) by 29 votes. Chahal had secured 591 votes, while Virk polled 562 votes. Three votes were declared invalid.