Affiliation: Hockey Chandigarh goes to court

Akash Ghai

Tribune News Service

Just five days ahead of the Hockey India’s (HI) scheduled elections at New Delhi, the Hockey Chandigarh today knocked the doors of Punjab and Haryana High Court to get affiliation from the government-backed body.

The local body, which was earlier named as the Chandigarh Hockey Association (affiliated with the Indian Hockey Federation), filed the case through its president Chander Shekhar, IPS and senior vice-president of the Indian Hockey Federation and Secretary General Yash Pal Vohra. Notably, the HI approved the affiliation of Hockey Chandigarh along with 11 other states without any issue during its November 30, 2009 meeting.

The HI also called on two representatives (one male and one female) from the HC to attend their first annual general meeting scheduled for February 7, 2010. But later in the end of May, the local body was disaffiliated, asking them to send their application through the Chandigarh Olympic Association.

But somehow the body could not get the required recommendation. Later the name of Chandigarh body was not found mentioned in the electoral college of the body. Along with the government, the Indian Olympic Association also backs the Hockey India. Seven other state units, including Tripura, Tamil Nadu, Mumbai, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan have also filed the cases to attend the July 28 elections.