Anurag Thakur re-enters BFI election race, his camp challenges Constitution changes

New Delhi: Former Sports Minister Anurag Thakur has once again thrown his hat into the ring to become the next president of the Boxing Federation of India (BFI), even as his faction on Monday claimed to have legally challenged the constitutional changes 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 in the fray 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 subsequently 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 had earlier prompted his camp to initiate legal proceedings, with the next hearing scheduled for August 18.

Now, Bhandari claims a fresh suit has been filed, challenging the validity of changes made to the BFI Constitution by the Interim Committee, which was 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, had 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, has 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.

Former judge Rajesh Tandon appointed as 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.