Hold fresh poll for three key posts, ministry tells AFI

The sports ministry Wednesday directed the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) to conduct fresh elections for only three key posts of the president, secretary general and the treasurer.

The ministry has given the AFI 60 days to conduct fresh elections, failing which it will be derecognised as well like the archery association and the boxing federation.

Pradip Deb, secretary, department of sports, told IANS that the ministry has strong reservations about the manner in which the election was held for the three key posts.
"We have asked the AFI to conduct fresh elections for only three key posts. We have no problems about other posts," said Deb.

The ministry in a statement said that Clause XIV(b)(1) of the AFI constitution restricted potential candidates from contesting elections for the three key posts.

"The Clause XIV(b)(1) of the Constitution of AFI required that a person must be an existing member of the executive committee of the AFI for seeking election to the post of president/secretary," the ministry pointed out.

"This clause was found to be restricting the potential candidates and was also in violation of the National Sports Development Code 2011. It was also observed that the election to the post of treasurer was also in contravention of the Department of Personnel & Training’s Circular dated 22-4-1994," a statement from the ministry read.

"The AFI has been directed to amend its constitution to delete Article XIV(b)(1) and hold elections to the above three posts de-novo. They have been advised that if the above action is not carried out within the period of 60 days, or 28 February 2013, whichever is earlier, the recognition to AFI shall stand withdrawn without any further notice," the statement added.

Former athlete Adille Sumariwalla was unanimously elected AFI president in the elections held in April. C.K. Valson, international technical official and chairman of AFI’s technical committee, was elected unopposed as secretary and Karnataka Athletics Association secretary Satyanarayana as treasurer.