HI polls: HC may appoint RO

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday hinted it might appoint a retired judge as the returning officer for the election of Hockey India (HI) in view of the controversy surrounding the appointments in the sports body.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice AP Shah asked the lawyers for Indian Olympic Association and HI to seek instructions from their clients if they were willing to appoint a retired judge as observer to oversee the elections.

HC’s poser came on an assurance by one of the lawyers for the sporting body that it was willing to put the election process to scrutiny. The court then asked them to file their response on how they were planning to conduct the election and suggest the name of a retired HC judge who could be appointed as their RO.

Meanwhile, the Centre also informed the court that differences with HI had been sorted out after the sports body agreed to follow its suggestion on conduct of the election. The court was hearing a PIL questioning the way in which the sports body was functioning and alleged irregularities in conduct of the election.

The election, however, has been put on hold after the Rajasthan High Court had last week restrained the HI from conducting the exercise. The Centre had earlier approached the HC challenging HI’s recent appointment of G S Mander, vice president of IOA as RO for its election which was scheduled for February 7.