Warring AAI factions elect two separate presidents

Warring AAI factions elect two separate presidents

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The two separate factions of the Archery Association of India have unanimously elected two different Presidents on Sunday and would be submitting compliance reports to Delhi High Court soon. Meanwhile, the World Archery would be inspecting which party has followed the right process.

After weeks of dispute and “misunderstanding” the Delhi High Court’s decision and the National Sports Code, union minister Arjun Munda and BVP Rao have been elected in separate elections in New Delhi and Chandigarh respectively.

Both the parties had claimed that they followed all the rules and protocols of the National Sports Code, and would be giving compliance reports in the next six weeks to the court, as one of the factions would be declared unconstitutional.

The World Archery had previously issued a suspension threat to the Indian archery body but couldn’t get the two factions to work together following which they tried to organize a unified election but even that failed.

When asked about the election, a WA official told PTI that a call would be taken in "a week's time". The Indian archers, however, would be competing at the World Championships in the Netherlands in the meantime that is beginning on Tuesday.

"World Archery will receive the reports from both meetings, evaluate and then the executive board will decide next steps. It's likely to take one week. The team manager's meeting (for the World Championships) was over today, which means 'India' are in the competition," said an official, reported PTI.

In New Delhi High, however, Justice (retired) Kailash Gambhir has declared Munda as the president-elect while Virender Sachdeva was made the Secretary General.

"I can't comment on the dual federations, but we have strictly followed the process and it's time to work together for the benefit of Indian archers and take sport the forward. This platform is created to take sport in the country to a greater height. Let's not bring politics into it," former Jharkhand chief minister Munda told PTI.

Asked about WA's suspension threat, he said, "They have to see who has followed the genuine process and take a call. Legal formalities will be met. We have got the support from most of the states in India."

Additional district judge (retired) Tejinder Bir Singh in Chandigarh,  who was also the returning officer, has on the other end declared Rao. "We had 33 per cent of the general body as per quorum. We had 11 states which is 33 per cent of the general body. That's what is required. We are the legal body. We conducted the elections as per the Supreme Court's directions. We will file the compliance report in the High Court. Then the court will give a verdict," he said.

"They (rival group) tried their best and pressurised so many people so that they don't turn up and we don't have the quorum. In spite of their high-handedness, we conducted the elections in a fair manner," Rao added.

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