Hockey India (HI) will hold the election of office-bearers July 28 following a stern warning from the International Hockey Federation (FIH) that India will be barred from playing in the women's World Cup in August if an elected federation is not in place by July 31.
HI elections have been postponed thrice and the sports ministry has asked it not to go ahead with the poll process in the wake of the Delhi High Court order lifting the suspension on the Indian Hockey Federation imposed by the Indian Olympic Association.
HI secretary general Narinder Batra, however, said it was necessary for them to hold the election before July 31st.
'FIH has set July 31 as deadline for the election, failing which the Indian women's team will be barred from taking part in the World Cup in Rosario, Argentina, from Aug 29,' Batra told IANS.
'In any case we have nothing to do with the High Court judgement. The IHF has been disaffiliated by the international body way back in 2000. We are an independent society and we are free to hold the election. We have taken legal advice in the matter. Now there are no legal hassles and so the date for election has been fixed.'
'We have told the ministry about the FIH letter. We are not in confrontation with the ministry. The election will be held in conformity with the government guidelines.'
'If elections are not held now then the Indian team will not be able to participate in the women's World Cup and we may be barred from participating even in the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.'
The sports ministry, however, maintained that it has not given a green signal for the HI election.
'Following the High Court order, we have referred the matter to the law ministry, seeking their opinion. We are waiting for the response before taking a decision. The government has not given permission for holding the election,' a sports ministry spokesperson told IANS.
HI said it has appointed Justice R.C. Chopra (retd) as returning officer while S. K. Mendiratta will be the government observer. FIH vice president Antonio von Ondarza will be the observer from the world body.
Mendiratta, however, told IANS that without government's approval he can't attend the election.
'It is for the government to decide. I am no longer part of it and I have no role to play, unless the sports ministry asks me to do so,' Mendiratta told IANS from Srinagar.
Indian Women's Hockey Association secretary general Amrit Bose termed the election 'illegal.'
'How can HI conduct the election when the government has asked them to wait. It is an illegal election. We will soon decide on the future course of action.'
The 30 affiliated units, comprising of 26 states/union territories and four institutional board members, are entitled to take part in the election.
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