NEW DELHI: The much-awaited Hockey India elections, postponed some days back, will now be held on January 29.

Sources told TOI that the new date was provided by Hockey India president AK Mattoo at a meeting held under the chairmanship of sports secretary this week.

The elections were originally scheduled to be held last month, but they had to be postponed following the intervention of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) as well as sports minister MS Gill, who wants it to be a fair and transparent process in the wake of complaints from some state units.

Sources said the meeting was held by the sports secretary to review the progress made so far regarding the elections within the new timeline prescribed by the FIH.

Apart from Mattoo and senior officials of the ministry, the meeting was attended by election observer SK Mendiratta (an expert on election law), government observer Zafar Iqbal and Hockey India officials. “During discussion, Mattoo stated that as per schedule the elections will be held on January 29, 2010 at 3 pm in a city hotel and notice for the elections will be issued 21 days before the elections,” sources said.

“With a view to ensure foolproof system and enhance transparency in the election process, the sports secretary advised Mattoo to send necessary notices, letters, documents to the state Olympic committees and state affiliated units.

At the meeting, Mattoo said that a committee, constituted to resolve disputes with regards to state units in its meeting on November 30, had endorsed 12 out of the 19 states units originally approved by Hockey India and two new state units.

To resolve the remaining issues, a sub-committee was formed, which held its meeting on December 6 and completed affiliation of six state units. As of now, Mattoo disclosed that 20 out of 31 units have been affiliated and the sub-committee is scheduled to meet on December 20 to examine the units left – Karnataka, Jharkhand, Goa, Kerala, Puducherry, Manipur and Punjab. He also said that Delhi and MP are yet to apply.”