HC stays BFI directive on voting rights in boxing polls

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday put a stay on a directive issued by the Boxing Federation of India (BFI), which mandated that only elected members of state boxing associations could represent their respective states in the upcoming BFI elections. Justice Mini Pushkarna, while hearing a petition filed by the Delhi Amateur Boxing Association (DABA), ruled that the March 7 circular issued by the BFI would remain stayed until the next hearing in August. However, the court clarified that the election process, scheduled for March 28, would continue, and the results would be subject to the final outcome of the case.

The controversy stems from the March 7 directive, which stated that only bonafide and duly elected members from state associations, elected during a properly notified Annual General Meeting (AGM), would be eligible to vote in the BFI elections.

The implementation of this rule led to the disqualification of several nominees from the electoral college, including Delhi Amateur Boxing Association’s representatives—Rohit Jainendra Jain and Neeraj Kant Bhatt.

BJP MP and former Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, who was nominated by the Himachal Pradesh Boxing Association, was also declared ineligible.