Sport Ministry appoints observer for BAI election

Sports Ministry appointed an observer for the Badminton Association of India (BAI) elections on June 13 and asked its chief V K Verma to comply with government guidelines if national federation has to retain recognition.

New Delhi: The Sports Ministry appointed an observer for the Badminton Association of India (BAI) elections on June 13 in Chennai and asked its chief V K Verma to comply with the government guidelines if the national federation has to retain its recognition.

In a letter addressed to Verma, Joint Secretary (Sports), Injeti Srinivas gave examples of other sports federations like taekondo, handball and hockey to present the ministry`s case and reiterated that BAI should divulge details of its AGM and elections. "Please note that government shall depute Smt Depika Kachhal, Director (Sports) to attend AGM and elections of BAI scheduled to be held on 13.6.2010 in Chennai. Further you are once again requested to send all the details sought from you vide the email dated 4.06.2010," Srinivas wrote in the letter."Please note that Government recognisation to any National Sports Federation (NSFs) is subject to compliance with the Government guidelines for such recognition. It would, therefore, be necessary for you to comply with the government guidelines, which require that a recognised NSF must inform government well in advance about its General Body and other meetings where decisions on important matters are taken, including the elections of office bearers.” "...this is the first time that an NSF has expressed such strong reservations against the Government deputing its observer. Recently, in the case of Taekwondo Federation of India and Handball Federation of India, prior intimation of their AGM and elections was given and Government was requested to depute its observer," Srinivas said in the letter."Even in case of IHF, which held its AGM on 6th of this month, the observer deputed by the Government was permitted to witness the proceedings without any reservations. We have also received a request from Hockey India (HI), which is holding its General Body on 4.6.2010 to depute a government observer to attend their meeting. "Moreover at the recent special general body meeting of IOA held on 18th May, media representatives were also allowed to sit in the meeting. Hence, your objection to permit the government observer to attend the AGM is not at all justified," the letter added. PTI