Hockey India has rejected affiliation claims of five state bodies on the basis of the one-state-one-association rule as it readies for elections scheduled for next month.

A sub-committee of Hockey India met in New Delhi on Tuesday to take a final decision on the applications, but could only resolve the issue of Karnataka State Hockey Association, which was given affiliation.

No decision was taken on the applications of Punjab while those of Mumbai, Vidarbha, Hyderabad, Madhya Bharat and Bhopal were rejected.

“Karnataka had to submit some papers and they have done that. We are still discussing some other cases including Punjab, but as far as I am concerned things are going in the right direction,” Hockey India president A.K. Mattoo told HT.

“Most of the hurdles have been cleared and elections will be held on January 29,” Mattoo said. Mattoo said Hockey India would give affiliation to one association per state. “We have been given a mandate by the FIH (international hockey federation) for merger and we are following that.”

However, people opposing the move claim that FIH only wants the merger of men and women’s bodies at the national and state level and has said nothing about a one-state-one-association rule.

Reacting to a representation by a faction of the Maharashtra Hockey Association (MHA), the sports ministry had, on December 22, asked Hockey India to clarify its position on various issues “regarding formation of a unified body in Maharashtra”. The state has six bodies, two each for Mumbai, Vidarbha and Maharashtra.

Hockey India has given affiliation to a faction of the MHA led by Ikram Khan and Victor Ellis from Pune. “I will be meeting sports ministry officials tomorrow to find out about their objections and settle the issue,” Mattoo said. He claimed they have given affiliation on the basis of letters issued by the respective state Olympic associations.

However, Balasaheb Landge, the secretary-general of the Maharashtra Olympic Association, claimed he hasn’t given any such letter. “No one has approached me for any letter,” he told HT on Tuesday.

Mumbai, Vidarbha and the Benny Boodle-Sambhaji Patil-led faction of the MHA are set to take the matter to court.

Gill makes his move

Former Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) president K.P.S. Gill, who has kept away from HI, will meet officials from some of the state bodies that have had their applications rejected and advise them. “Our lawyers will be meeting Mr Gill in Delhi and discussing the issue with him. He should be leading our efforts to get justice,” said an official from an aggrieved state.