Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Elections to Hockey India will be held on January 29, 2010. Hockey India has informed the Union Sports Ministry that the elections would be held in Delhi and notice for the elections would be issued 21 days before the scheduled meeting as required under its rules.

This information was conveyed to the ministry by the Hockey India President, A.K. Mattoo, at a meeting held here under the chairmanship of Secretary, Sports Ministry, Sindhushree Khullar, last Wednesday, to review the progress regarding elections to Hockey India within the timelines prescribed by the International Hockey Federation (FIH).

The FIH had stipulated that an elected body should be in place before India hosted the World Cup in February-March next year.

The meeting was attended, among others, by Zafar Iqbal (Government observer), S.K. Mendiratta (election observer nominated by the ministry), Rajeev Mehta and Anupam Ghulati, apart from Mattoo and senior ministry officials.

With a view to ensuring a foolproof system and to enhance transparency in the election process, Ms. Khullar, according to official sources, advised Mr. Mattoo to send necessary notices and documents to State Olympic committees and affiliated hockey associations by speed post apart from email and fax.

It was also advised that the election observer along with the Government observer be involved in the election process.

While apprising the meeting about the progress made with regard to affiliation of State units, Mattoo said a committee constituted to resolve disputes with regard to the units, in its meeting on November 30, had endorsed 12 out of the 19 State units originally approved by Hockey India and two new State units.

Mattoo told the meeting that issues with regard to 20 of the 31 units had been resolved. A sub-committee formed to settle pending issues would examine the cases of Karnataka, Jharkhand, Goa, Kerala, Puducherry, Manipur and Punjab at its next meeting on December 20.

Delhi, MP yet to apply

Delhi and Madhya Pradesh were yet to apply, according to the information given at the meeting.

It is learnt Delhi would be applying within a few days. Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan were affected by litigations.

Mattoo also informed the meeting that all the State Olympic associations had been requested by Hockey India to advise the concerned State units which had not yet applied for recognition to do so before December 28.

Only one unified unit would be granted affiliation from each State, as per the guidelines issued by the FIH and the Sports Ministry.

The States having more than one unit will have to settle pending disputes with the help of their State Olympic committees.

With the objective of providing effective grievance redressal and appeal mechanism, Secretary, Sports, advised Mattoo to set up an independent forum, different from the committees and sub-committees formed by Hockey India, having the election observer, the Government observer and representatives of Hockey India as its members to act as a recommendatory body in case of unresolved disputes.