WFI Election: The Gauhati High Court on Sunday stayed the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections scheduled for July 11. The High Court stayed the elections on a petition filed by the Assam Wrestling Association.
Earlier, on June 21, an ad hoc panel of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) rescheduled the WFI elections to July 11 after five unaffiliated state organizations presented their arguments at the hearing seeking voting rights. The elections will be held for various positions within the WFI, including the president, senior vice-presidents, four vice-presidents, general secretary, treasurer, two joint secretaries and five executive members.
In its petition filed against the WFI, the IOA ad-hoc body and the sports ministry, the Assam Wrestling Federation said that though it was entitled to be an affiliate member of the WFI, it was not allowed despite a recommendation made by the then WFI Executive Committee at the General Council of WFI at Gonda on 15th November 2014.
The petitioner argued that since their body is not affiliated with the WFI, and they cannot nominate their representative in the Electoral College, the election process should be put on hold.
The court directed the respondents – the WFI ad-hoc body and the sports ministry – that they should not proceed with the election of the WFI’s executive committee till the next date of hearing is fixed. The court has fixed July 17 as the next date for hearing.
(with PTI inputs)