According to a press release issued on Monday, the elections of The Wrestling Federation of India which were scheduled to be held on 11th July have been deferred until further court orders.
This came after the Gauhati High Court on Sunday stayed the polls while hearing a petition filed by the Assam Wrestling Association.
In its petition filed against the WFI, IOA ad-hoc panel and the Sports Ministry, the Assam Wrestling Association had contended that even though it was entitled to be an affiliated member of the WFI, it was not granted recognition. The state unit claimed that the former WFI Executive Committee, on 15th November, 2014 made a recommendation for its affiliation at the Federations’ General Council in Gonda, but it was denied recognition.
The IOA ad-hoc panel fixed the last date as 25th June for receiving the names for the electoral college while the elections were fixed for 11th July.
The petitioner contended that until and unless their body is affiliated to the WFI, and they are able to nominate their representative to the electoral college, the election process should be stalled.
The court directed the respondents — WFI’s ad-hoc body and the Sports Ministry — that till the next date of hearing is fixed, they should not proceed with the elections of the Executive Committee of the WFI. The court has fixed 17th July as the next hearing date.
The WFI, before being suspended by the Sports Ministry, set 7th May as the election date. After a meeting with protesting wrestlers, Sports Minister Anurag Thakur said that WFI elections will be held by 30th June. The IOA then announced that elections will be held on 4th July but the Returning Officer set 6th July as the new date.
However, after five disaffiliated state bodies staked claim to be eligible for voting, the Returning Officer again delayed the elections by five days, setting 11th July as the poll date.
