The process of holding the delayed elections of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) began on Wednesday with the returning officer issuing a notification to elect members of the executive council, including the president.
Candidates interested in the elections to be held on December 10 can file their nomination papers in person from November 25 to November 27, while they can withdraw their names from December 1-3.
As per the notification issued by Returning Officer Umesh Sinha, former General Secretary, November 20 has been fixed as the deadline for receiving the names of the Electoral College from the affiliated member units. Election India Commission.
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On December 10, ahead of the elections, the IOA will confirm the inclusion of Outstanding Merited Athletes (SOMs) in the General Assembly. The SOM will be selected by the newly elected Athletes’ Commission of the IOA. The results will be declared on the same day of the election.
The IOA on November 10 adopted its draft constitution prepared under the supervision of the Supreme Court and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), but many members said they were forced to do so after the apex court mandated it.
During the IOA’s special general body meeting, some members objected to at least half a dozen amendments contained in the draft constitution, saying “the democratic rights of the general body have been completely taken away”.
Faced with the threat of suspension from the IOC if elections are not held by December, coupled with Supreme Court directives, the IOA had no option but to bring about changes in its constitution.
The constitution was drafted by Supreme Court-appointed retired Supreme Court Justice L Nageswara Rao and the IOC has already given its approval. SC has approved the holding of IOA elections on 10th December.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed that its earlier orders for the adoption of a new constitution and voting for the election of an executive committee of the IOA shall be scrupulously followed.
A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices Hima Kohli and JB Pardiwala recorded the submission of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, that the IOA constitution drafted by Justice (retd) LN Rao has been adopted in the Annual General Body Meeting. The meeting (AGM) of the Indian Olympic Body and any amendment to it shall be done only with the express permission of the court.
The draft constitution provides for equal representation of male and female members in the IOA General Assembly, which will be composed of two representatives from national federations – one male and one female – whose sports are included in the Olympic/Asian/Commonwealth programme. In sport, India, an IOC member, has two representatives of the Athletes’ Commission – one man and one woman – and eight representatives – four men and four women – who are Outstanding Athletes (SOM). Each member shall have one vote.
The IOA elections were to be held in December last year but could not be held due to a pending case in the Delhi High Court, where a petition was filed, seeking amendment of its constitution before holding elections so that it to be aligned with the national Play code.
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