NEW DELHI: The sports ministry increased the pressure on Hockey India on Friday, sending a letter to the world body (FIH), spelling out the critical minimum principles that the government would like to see before the elections are held.
A copy of the letter has also been forwarded to Hockey India.
These principles, if implemented during the elections, could serve as a benchmark and go a long way in reforming the manner in which sports federations of the country elect their officials.
The letter also says that the ministry is concerned about the delay in the affiliation process. “Till date, the complaints (of the bodies which have yet to be affiliated) have not been shared with the election observer, SK Mendiratta, appointed by the ministry,” the letter said.
Regarding the role of Hockey India, the letter is very critical: “Since the basic mandate of the interim body was to complete the affiliation process and hold democratic elections, we would have expected the election by-laws to have been firmed up along with Hockey India constitution itself. But that did not happen.”
The minimum principles listed in the letter are as follows:
1. The composition of the electoral college must be finalised immediately and not later than 15.1.2010.
2. Since the elections would have to be conducted independently, free from any vested interests, it would be necessary that an independent returning officer is appointed by the president, Hockey India.
3. The returning officer should in no way be connected with Hockey India or the India Olympic Association and should be preferably a retired High court/District court judge.
4. The election notice calling for nominations must be issued by the returning officer and not by any office bearer of Hockey India.
5. Once the election process is set into motion, the present office bearers of Hockey India should have no role in the conduct of the elections.
6. The same would apply to IOA because the foundation board of Hockey India was constituted by IOA by invoking its extraordinary powers.
7. The govt observer for elections will also follow the same principle and only observe the conduct of the elections.
8. There should be a clear schedule marking each stage of the election.
9.
Elections to all posts must be held simultaneously.
In the end, the letter says that these principles are critical in the eyes of the government for giving the country “a credible body at the national level for the promotion and development of hockey in India, which is also popularly perceived as the national game”.