JOIN USSports Ministry on Tuesday asked all the National Sports Federations (NSFs) and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to conduct their election for the new office bearers at least one month before the expiry of the term of the office bearers.
In a communication sent to NSFs and IOA, the Ministry said that the elections should be conducted as per the guidelines issued by the ministry including on age and tenure limits. “The matter of holding elections of office bearers of the NSFs on time has been reviewed in the Ministry. It has been noticed that some NSFs do not hold their elections on time and delay the conduct of the elections on some plea or the other,” the Sports Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
However, in exceptional circumstances, an extension of maximum of three months could be considered by the Ministry, after which the office bearers elected in the last election will automatically ceases to exist. “All the NSFs and the IOA are also requested to take appropriate action accordingly and intimation regarding holding of elections of office bearers should be sent well in advance, so that the Ministry may consider nominating Government Observer, to oversee the conduct of elections. These instructions shall be followed scrupulously by all concerned,” it stated.