Wrangling continues ahead of Boxing India polls

NEW DELHI: The long-pending elections to form a new Indian Boxing Federation have run into rough weather yet again with Rakesh Thakran, a contestant for the Secretary General's post, demanding the rejection of his rival Jay Kowli's nomination papers on technical grounds.

Thakran, who represents the Haryana State Boxing Association, claims that Kowli's nomination papers cannot stand scrutiny as his candidature has been seconded by the same man, who has acted as a proposer for two other candidates.

As per rules, a person, in this case Bharatkumar Whaval from the Maharashtra Boxing Association, cannot be both a proposer and seconder for different candidates.

Thakran has already written to the Returning Officer, Retired Justice D K Deshmukh, demanding the cancellation of Kowli's nomination along with Hiren Pandit and Amarjit Singh.

Thakran has alleged that Pandit and Singh's names were proposed by Whaval. While Pandit is contesting for the vice-president's post, Singh is aiming for a place in the Executive Council.

The last date for filing nominations for the September 11 polls has been set at September 6.

The elections, being conducted by the provisionally recognised Boxing India (BI), have been mired in controversy. The voting was initially scheduled to be held on July 9 but was postponed by BI, citing a directive from the International Boxing Association.

BI itself is coping quite a bit of resentment from the state associations, some of which have stated that the AIBA-recognised body is trying to manipulate the polls to get its favoured candidates elected.

The national federation was terminated in December 2012 by AIBA on charges of "possible manipulation" in elections. Federation was officially terminated in March this year and AIBA recognised BI as the provisional body entrusted with the task of conducting fresh elections.