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Anurag Thakur was also a candidate for the elections initially planned for March 28, but his name was omitted from the Electoral College.
Anurag Thakur’s camp had initiated legal proceedings after his name was excluded. (PTI Photo)
Former Sports Minister Anurag Thakur has once again announced his candidacy for the position of president of the Boxing Federation of India (BFI). His faction claimed on Monday to have legally challenged the constitutional amendments made by the Interim Committee.
The Himachal Pradesh Boxing Association (HPBA) has nominated both Thakur and its President Rajesh Bhandari as representatives for the upcoming elections, scheduled for August 21.
Thakur was also a candidate for the elections initially planned for March 28, but his name was omitted from the Electoral College, finalised by then BFI President Ajay Singh and approved by the then Returning Officer.
“We have sent Anurag Thakur and my name as HPBA’s representatives,” Bhandari told PTI.
Monday was the last day to file nominations.
Thakur’s exclusion earlier prompted his camp to initiate legal proceedings, with the next hearing scheduled for August 18.
Bhandari now claims a fresh suit has been filed, challenging the validity of changes made to the BFI Constitution by the Interim Committee, formed by World Boxing to oversee the federation’s affairs, without the approval of an Executive Council.
“What they have done has led to a cause of action. We filed the suit on Monday. This is against the BFI Constitution. You cannot revise the constitution without getting it approved by the House,” Bhandari said.
The March 7 office directive, issued by Ajay Singh in his capacity as BFI President, stated that “only bonafide and duly elected members during the election AGM (duly notified to BFI) of the State Units affiliated with the BFI shall be authorised,” a clause under which Thakur was deemed ineligible.
The Interim Committee, under Singh’s leadership, revised the BFI Constitution, which was approved by World Boxing on May 18.
The revised version defines a representative as “a person nominated by each Member to represent it at the General Council. Such person shall be an elected member of the State/UT Association in Election AGM in presence of BFI Observer and shall not be a Government servant or holding a public office.”
“The Interim Committee was asked by the new World Boxing to revise the constitution. If the panel had not complied, BFI risked suspension,” a BFI official said.
Meanwhile, the Sports Ministry is currently adopting a wait-and-watch approach given the matter is sub judice.
“We will wait for the court to give a ruling before taking any action,” a ministry source told PTI.
Rajesh Tandon Named Returning Officer
Former Justice of the High Court of Uttarakhand, Rajesh Tandon, who previously conducted the 2020–2024 BFI elections, has been appointed as the Returning Officer for the polls later this month.
The earlier Returning Officer, former Delhi High Court judge R.K. Gauba, had resigned from the position ahead of the March elections, citing a targeted smear campaign against him.
With PTI Inputs
Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience in digital…Read More
Feroz Khan has been covering sports for over 12 years now and is currently working with Network18 as Principal Correspondent. He embarked on his journey in 2011 and has since acquired vast experience in digital… Read More
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