MUMBAI: The Indian Golf Union (IGU) and Bridge Federation of India (BFI), both among the national sports federations (NSFs) that have been given a December 31 deadline to hold elections or face derecognition, have opted to conduct their respective polls online.
For the record, the Union Sports Ministry has given federations the option of casting ballots physically or conducting elections online and the IGU and BFI are the only ones so far to have opted for this route, New Indian Express reports.
As per the daily, BFI will hold its elections on December 26, while for the IGU, it will be on the following day – December 27.
“While adopting said alternative, NSFs shall ensure the due transparency and secrecy of vote in the election procedure,” reads a ministry advisory of the online process, which was issued on November 6.
According to NIE, elections to both federations will be held under the supervision of electoral officers, who will decide the details of the process.
The BFI has 22 voting associations, plus office-bearers and players in an electoral college of 35. December 20 and 25 are the last dates of filing and withdrawing nominations, respectively. Although S Sundaresan is expected to continue as president, there will be fresh faces in the other 10 posts since the incumbents have completed their terms. Going by tradition, officials in BFI are chosen unanimously. If that remains, contests are unlikely.
The situation is not that clear in IGU. It has 28 voting units and there’s a difference in opinion over eligibility of some of those. Matter is under the supervision of returning officer RK Gawba, who is expected to announce the electoral college soon. IGU insiders believe once that is out, it will be easier to say if there are contests on the cards.
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