Confusion over venue in AAI polls

NEW DELHI: The Archery Association of India election date might be fixed, but the venue remains a bone of contention. While both acting president Sunil Sharma and secretary Maha Singh have zeroed in on June 9 as the date that AAI goes to polls, the secretary wants Chandigarh to be the venue while Sharma wants Delhi to host it.

The acting president added that Singh has been trying to disrupt the normal functioning of the body till the elections happen. “Post the Supreme Court’s order on May 1, nine of ten Committee of Administrators met on May 4 and decided that the acting president would decide the returning officer and issue the election notice. And that is what I did but still he (Singh) made a huge deal about it and confusion has reigned till now,” Sharma said.

The acting president appointed Justice Aruna Suresh, a former Delhi High Court judge as Returning Officer. The secretary also appointed someone, fixed an election schedule and changed the venue to Chandigarh. “He is just a convenor of meetings and his power cannot supersede those of the president. The meeting that he called also did not have a majority,” Sharma added.

The acting president decided to hold polls in the capital as it has the best travel connections, the federation has an office here and the Returning Officer is also from here and it makes no sense for AAI members to go to Chandigarh. “Elections of the Archery Association of India would be conducted at Kautilya Hall, Samrat Hotel, Kautilya Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi,” Sharma’s mail, which is in possession of this newspaper, read. His mail also urged all members to avoid Singh’s directive and follow the schedule set by the president, otherwise it might “tantamount to interference in the administration of justice”.

To clear the confusion, the Indian Olympic Association have called for a meeting. While the elections which happened last time around had no representatives from IOA and Sports Ministry, this election will have both. “IOA want to clear the confusion over venue so that they know where to send their representative,” a source in the AAI revealed.