BFI polls: Kalita ineligible to contest for presidency, rules returning officer
Treasurer Digvijay Singh also suspended for “financial irregularities” following a probe by BFI, says president Ajay Singh
New Delhi: Boxing Federation of India (BFI) secretary general Hemanta Kalita is ineligible to contest for the president’s post as he has to undergo a cooling-off period having served two consecutive terms as treasurer and secretary general, ruled the returning officer justice (retd) R K Gauba. BFI elections are scheduled on March 28.
With Kalita’s exit, incumbent Ajay Singh, vice-president Rajesh Bhandari and Kerala State Amateur Boxing Association secretary D Chandralal are in the fray for the top post.
“Mr. Kalita having served 2 consecutive terms of 4 years each, one in the post of treasurer and in the post of the Secretary General, he has to undergo a cooling-off period for one term before he can offer his candidature for election to the post of President/Secretary General/Treasurer,” Gauba said referring to the clauses of National Sports Code during scrutiny of documents.
“It is thus found that Mr. Kalita is ineligible to contest for the post of the president in the present election. His nomination papers were thus rejected,” he adjudicated.
Nomination of N Satish for the post of secretary general was also rejected on technical grounds while nominations of BFI treasurer Digvijay Singh was initially accepted along with that of Pramod Kumar for the secretary general’s post. The nomination of Anil Kumar Bohidar for the secretary-general’s post is subject to a court order.
However, later in the day Kalita and Digvijay Singh were suspended in a case of “financial irregularities” after a probe conducted by a BFI-appointed one-member panel. BFI president Singh said Justice (retd) Sudhir Kumar Jain conducted an “independent investigation into a matter related to a complaint received from Sports Authority of India regarding financial irregularities and mismanagement of funds.”
“Justice Jain has concluded his investigation and submitted his report, which has found both of you guilty of serious charges of financial irregularities and mismanagement of funds. The findings of the report establish a clear breach of fiduciary duties and responsibilities expected from individuals holding key positions within the federation,” Singh wrote in his letter to Kalita and Digvijay Singh.