India continues to be let down by its sports administrators. In an embarrassing turn of events, the Union Sports Ministry and Indian Olympic Association have granted differing stamps of approval to elections held separately by two rival factions of the Indian Golf Union (IGU).
While the Sports Ministry has recognised the “election” of Brijender Singh as president and Satish Kumar Sharma as secretary, the IOA has endorsed a different set of office-bearers “elected” in a separate election.
Separate elections were conducted on December 15 at different venues in the capital with separate returning officers, both retired high court judges, overseeing the polls. With the two factions fighting for legitimacy, the election has already reached the court, Hindustan Times reports.
The ministry sent its observer to the elections in which Brijender Singh was elected unopposed as president. It has backed his team subject to the ongoing court case.
“…the elections of the Governing Council of the IGU with the following office-bearers for the term 2024-2026, subject to ongoing court cases, are taken on records of this Ministry,” a Sports Ministry letter dated December 28 accessed by HT says.
Singh was elected president for a second consecutive term. Sharma was elected secretary and Sanjeev Rattan treasurer in the elections held at the India Habitat Centre on December 15 with retired high court judge Rameshwar Malik as returning officer.
On Sharma’s election, the ministry said he “will be required to demit the post of secretary on attaining the age of 70 on 18.09.2025, after which the IGU shall conduct fresh election for the said post as per the provisions of National Sports Development Code.”
Meanwhile, IOA president PT Usha had said in a statement that after a review of two different AGMs and elections, IOA will recognise the faction led by Harish Kumar Shetty as president, Basant Kumar Repswal as secretary-general and Manoj Joshi as treasurer, HT further reports. This election was held at the IOA headquarters with retired high court judge OP Garg as returning officer.
“The Returning Officer who was initially officially appointed had never resigned as alleged by the IGU and thus was the competent person to conduct the election as notified by IGU,” Usha was quoted by HT as having stated in her letter issued December 30 while backing Shetty.
The Bengal Golf Association had challenged the appointment of Justice (retd) Malik as the RO before the Delhi high court, which refused to interfere in the election process while reserving the rights of the petitioner or any other party to seek legal remedy after the election result was declared.
