Ministry wants AAI election postponed

Vinayak Padmadeo

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 5

The much-delayed Archery Association of India (AAI) election has run into yet another roadblock. The Sports Ministry has taken exception to some of the provisions of the amended constitution under which the election, scheduled for December 22, will be held. The Sports Ministry feels a few of the provisions, including the barring of public servants from the election process and granting voting rights to associate members and to individual archers, are against the letter and spirit of the National Sports Development Code of India (NSDCI), 2011.

Associate members, including Railways Sports Promotion Board and Services Sports Control Board, were barred from voting in the Indian Olympic Association election as per the Sports Code.  Also, the Sports Ministry had given permission to public servants to hold elective office in any sports federation for one term. 

Letter to Quraishi 

In his letter to AAI administrator SY Quraishi, Sports Secretary Rahul Bhatnagar requested him to approach the court and seek postponement of the election so that a new constitution is drafted as per the provisions of the sports code. Bhatnagar also reminded the administrator that the original decision of the Supreme Court, pronounced on December 4, 2017, directed that “the administrator would see that the constitution of the association is strictly in accordance with the code and election are to be conducted thereafter”.

Adverse impact

The World Archery, the sport’s governing body, had written a similar letter early this week and had intimated the Sports Ministry that the revised constitution and composition of delegates could adversely impact the recognition of AAI from World Archery.

“Accordingly, it may be brought to the notice of the Honourable Court that continuing with the election with a constitution which is not fully conforming to the provisions of the NSDCI, 2011, might render the whole exercise Infructuous and might also require fresh elections,” Bhatnagar wrote. Quraishi was unavailable for comments.