Former kabaddi players demand inquiry into AKFI elections

Former India kabaddi players on Sunday made an appeal to the Sports Minister Jitendra Singh to conduct an immediate inquiry into alleged "hijacking" of Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) by its President, Janardhan Singh Gehlot.

Ashan Kumar, an Arjuna Awardee has alleged that Gehlot has got his wife, Mridul Bhadauria, elected as the federation chief through illegal means in the annual general meeting and elections of office bearers in Jaipur on Sunday.

"The illegal annual general meeting and elections of office bearers(s) for the term 2013-2017 of AKFI was illegally held earlier today at Jaipur. The federation has been headed by Janardhan Singh Gehlot, who has been the president of the federation for the past 21 years.

"The players and well wishers of the sport were surprised and saddened to learn the way the Executive Committee of federation is killing the sprite of the game in order to secure their personal ends and in order to maintain  their supremacy, and in this case to the extent of dictatorship," Kumar said in a statement.

Kumar had moved the Delhi High Court against the elections that were scheduled for today. The court, on May 17, had directed the federation that the validity of the results of the elections would be subject to orders passed by them.

"...the notice of election of federation was only displayed on the website of federation. It is further not out of place here that the website of the federation, was although inoperative for last many years, suddenly became active to declare the notice of election, officially in order to hijack the entire process," it said.

"The so-called returning officer appointed by the federation is neither independent nor impartial nor conversant with the memorandum and articles of association of the federation" said Harprit Singh, who has been an international player and coach of Kabaddi.

The players further alleged that as per constitution amended and influenced by Janardhan Singh Gehlot any outsider is eligible to seek election for the post of President or General Secretary subject to getting his nomination papers duly proposed and seconded by any of the federations affiliated units while in the present case no such opportunity has been given to anyone to file their nomination.

"In said case no notice of election has been given to general public and as per the rules  and guidelines issued by the various forums that notice of election be given to the general public," the statement added.