New Delhi: The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections will be held on December 21 and the results will be declared on the same day after counting of votes. This comes after the Supreme Court recently set aside the stay imposed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, paving the way for the process of electing the new WFI governing body.
The entire process of elections shall adhere to the stipulations and relevant provisions of the ratified constitution of the WFI and the Model Guidelines, 2011 issued by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India. United World Wrestling suspended the Wrestling Federation of India in August this year due to the delay in holding elections. UWW decided as WFI "failed to conduct elections" in the specified duration.
The WFI elections were originally slated to be held on August 12. The Punjab and Haryana High Court, which is hearing a petition, in August extended the stay on WFI elections till September 25. The stay order came in the wake of a petition filed by the Haryana Wrestling Association (HWA) which challenged the move to allow the Haryana Amateur Wrestling Association to cast votes in the WFI polls.
Elections for the federation, which oversees wrestling in India, were initially planned for June this year. However, protests by star Indian wrestlers - Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat over sexual harassment allegations against the then WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and cases about state units led to the postponement of polls. An ad hoc committee set up by the Indian Olympic Association (IOC) is running the affairs of WFI at present. (ANI)
