Ministry moves court over Mander appointment

Sources in the ministry told PTI that an urgent application has been filed before the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, who is hearing a PIL petition on the accountability of National Sports Federations and HI elections.

“The Ministry has requested to the honorable High Court that CK Mahajan, retired judge of the Delhi High Court, be appointed as the Returning Officer for the February 7 elections,” the source said.

“It has also been suggested that if the honourable court so wishes, they may appoint another sitting or retired judge of the Delhi High Court to conduct the elections to ensure a fair and transparent process,” he said.

Incidentally, even though FIH vice president Antonio von Ondarza had earlier told the ministry that the international body endorsed Mander’s appointment, the source said FIH has changed its stance.

“FIH president Leandro Negre and Ondarza, who is also the FIH election observer, have spoken to the senior Ministry officials on Thursday and expressed their full agreement to the Ministry direction on the HI elections,” he said.

“They indicated that earlier they had not been fully and properly briefed of the true situation,” the source said.

NCW angry

Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women on Thursday shot off a letter to Hockey India asking the interim body to look into the grievances of the national women hockey players, who are agitating against the delay in payment of their dues.

“We have written a letter to the Hockey Federation following complaints that women hockey players are not getting their dues,” NCW chairperson Girija Vyas told reporters.
“They should do the needful. We have also told the Federation to let us know the steps being taken to address the grievances of the players,” she added.

The women players launched a silent agitation against the delay by wearing black armbands during the training session of the Commonwealth Games camp.