Sports Ministry rejects Mander, suggests Returning Officers
NEW DELHI: The Sports Ministry rejected G S Mander’s appointment as the Returning Officer for Hockey India’s February 7 elections and suggested the names of retired High Court judge C K Mahajan and former Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta for the job.
The Ministry, which had objected to Mander’s appointment yesterday, shot off another letter on Wednesday to HI president Vidya Stokes, reminding her that the current set-up was a self-nominated ad hoc body which “cannot exercise unlimited powers which can impair the legitimacy of the newly elected body”.
“In its latest communication sent today, the Ministry has firmly rejected the appointment of Mander as the Returning Officer stating that the Returning Officer must be independent of Hockey India as well as the Indian Olympic Association because Hockey India itself is a creation of the IOA,” sources in the Sports Ministry said.
“The Ministry rejected Mander, president of the Wrestling Federation of India, because he holds the post of Vice President in IOA,” a source said.
“In view of this, the Ministry has advised Hockey India to take immediate corrective steps and consider appointing C K Mahajan, a retired High Court Judge or a retired Chief Election Commissioner or Madhukar Gupta, former Sports Secretary who also served as the Union Home Secretary before his retirement,” he added.