New Delhi, 13 June: The long overdue Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections will be held on July 4
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Monday named former Jammu and Kashmir High Court Chief Justice Mahesh Mittal Kumar as the returning officer to conduct the WFI elections.
In a letter to Justice (Retd) Kumar, IOA CEO Kalyan Chubey said " "IOA has to take steps forward to conduct elections of the WFI Executive Committee and we are pleased to appoint you as a returning officer to conduct the elections of the WFI. You many consider appointing one assistant returning officer and other staff to assist in conducting the elections,"
"Elections are required to be conducted in the SGM of the WFI called on 4th July and the schedule of the election will be required to be drawn accordingly. We look forward to your confirmation of acceptance and also smooth conduct of elections of the WFI on July 4."
However, Justice Kumar can decide the date of the SGM and the elections on his own and it will be up to him to hold the polls on July 4 or a few days later.
The WFI has 25 affiliated units, including union territories Chandigarh and Delhi. Each State unit can send two representatives and each representative shall have one vote. So, the electoral college for the WFI elections will consist of 50 votes.
The state units can nominate only those representatives who are members of their executive bodies, according to the WFI constitution.
Sports Minister Anurag Thakur, in his meeting with protesting wrestlers on June had reportedly assured them s that the government will not allow any of the family member or associates of outgoing WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh to contest elections.