IOA sets ball rolling for December 19 polls, issues notification for nominations

Incumbent Narinder Batra is expected to seek re-election for the post of IOA president for another four-year term.

File image of Indian Olympic Association president Narinder Batra.

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has set the ball rolling for the election of its new office bearers, to be held during its December 19 Annual General Meeting in Guwahati, by issuing the notification of the poll process.

As per the nomination paper issued by the IOA, the scrutiny of nominations will be held on December 6.

According to the notification, the nomination for each post shall be proposed as proposer by one of the members whose name is included in the Electoral College for the election to be circulated by the president and secretary general on December 1.

"...in the case of any conflict in the list of authorised representatives sent by any affiliated unit, the list sent by the President shall be accepted as final in the Electoral College," it read.

No person is eligible to nominate more than one candidate for the same post of the office bearer or executive council member, either as proposer or seconder.

The nominations can be made from December 2 to 4, while the final list of contesting candidates will be made public on December 8.

In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the candidates can send their nominations by email or submit in person at the IOA office here.

The date of the elective AGM was finalised during the executive council meeting of the IOA here on November 1.

As per the notification, the poll process will elect a president, two senior vice-presidents, nine vice-presidents, secretary general, treasurer, six joint secretaries and 10 executive council members.

The term of the current office bearers will end in December and a new set of office bearers will have to be elected.

Incumbent Narinder Batra is expected to seek re-election for the post of IOA president for another four-year term.

Under the Sports Code, present secretary general Rajeev Mehta is barred from seeking election for the same post for the third time. His second term will end in December.

According to sources, the IOA constitution allows Mehta to contest election for the president's post but whether the Sports Code permits it or not is not clear.