The Union Sports Ministry has asked the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) to follow the government guidelines while conducting its elections, following the merger of the Indian Women's Hockey Federation (IWHF) with the IHF, during its annual general body meeting on October 3.
In a letter issued on September 17, the Ministry has asked the IHF to follow its guidelines in order to ensure free, fair and transparent elections.
The Ministry advocated the appointment of an independent returning officer (preferably a retired High Court judge), announcement of a clear election schedule mentioning the dates of filing, withdrawal and scrutiny of nominations, publication of a list of candidates and the date of election.
There should be a clear and transparent voter list (which will form the electoral college) and the elections should be held through secret ballot, according to the Ministry guidelines.
The Ministry has warned that failure to follow the government guidelines will have impact upon the recognition of the IHF as the National Sports Federation.
