TTFI elections: Non-availability of Justice Saran could see new Returning Officer

As per the letter written to Justice Saran, “election process… be preferably completed on or before 15.11.2022, which means that 15.11.2022 is only a preferred date.”

Justice Vineet Saran cites non- availability to be the Returning Officer for TTFI election. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

In an unexpected turn of events, Justice Vineet Saran, named as Returning Officer in the Delhi High Court order for the upcoming elections of the Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) has informed the Court of his “non-availability” on the proposed dates of the election.

As per the letter written to Justice Saran, “election process… be preferably completed on or before 15.11.2022, which means that 15.11.2022 is only a preferred date.”

In response, Justice Saran wrote, “Due to my non-availability in New Delhi till 31st October 2022 and thereafter from 5th to 15th of November, 2022, my office has communicated to the Registrar General of the Delhi High Court about my non-availability on the aforesaid dates, and while conveying my gratitude to the Court for appointing me as the Returning Officer, it was communicated that I may not be able to undertake the responsibility because of the aforesaid reason of being unavailable on the above-mentioned dates and in the light of the timeline suggested by the Court in the order dated 17/10/2022.

“However, I have no objection in overseeing the elections, if I can do so from outside Delhi or after 15th November 2022.”

It may be recalled that the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), in its “Notice of Proposed Suspension” dated August 15, 2022, to the Committee of Administrators (CoA) mentioned a possible suspension of the TTFI unless the TTFI Executive Board was restored no later than 15th September 2022, or “The TTFI calls as soon as possible for a General Assembly to be held no later than 15th November 2022 and a formal communication including the names of the new TTFI Executive Board members is received by this Secretary General (Raul Calin) no later than 16th November 2022.”

Further, the notice categorically stated, “If the TTFI (read its Committee of Administrators) fails to comply with the above actions and timelines, the EC will propose the suspension to the 2022 Annual General Meeting.”

Now, with Justice Vineet Saran’s availability in question, the Court will have to name a new Returning Officer shortly so that the election notice could be issued at least 21 days before the date of voting, as per the TTFI’s constitution.