Sports Ministry directs SGFI to conduct re-election as per 'Model Election Guidelines' of NSDCI

New Delhi [India], February 5 : The Sports Ministry has directed the School Games Federation of India (SGFI) to conduct re-election as per the provisions of 'Model Election Guidelines' prescribed in the National Sports Development Code of India (NSDCI), 2011.
The Sports Ministry declared the SGFI's elections held in Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu in December last year as invalid. The entire process of election starting from the appointment of returning officer was done without the approval of SGFI's president Sushil Kumar.
According to a letter from Sports Ministry, the election held is in violation of the provisions of Model Election Guidelines prescribed in NSDCI, 2011 which authorises the president of the concerned federation to appoint returning officer.
"I am directed to refer to School Games Federation of India's letter No. SGFI/ 1472 dated 31.12.2020 and to say that the election held on 29.12.2020 at Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu are in violation of the provisions of Model Election Guidelines prescribed in National Sports Development Code of India (NSDCI), 2011 which authorizes President of the concerned federation to appoint Returning Officer," the Sports Ministry said in a letter to SGFI president and general secretary.
"It is stated that the entire process of election starting from the appointment of Returning Officer without the approval of President, SGFI, was in violation of NSDCI, 2011," it further said.
"You are, therefore, requested to conduct re-election as per the provisions of Model Election Guidelines prescribed in National Sports Development Code of India, 2011. Yours faithfully (SPS Tomar) Deputy Secretary to the Government of India," the letter added.
Last year in December, two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar said that an FIR was filed against the secretary of the SGFI for allegedly forging his signature and performing irregularities in the body.
"I received a letter from the Government of India (GOI) regarding irregularities in SGFI on November 12. I wrote to SGFI, secretary asking him why he did not reply to the GOI letter but he did not answer me," Sushil had told ANI.
"I noticed that my signature was forged to change the by-laws. Then I wrote to GOI and SGFI secretary telling them the same. Again, I did not receive any reply from the secretary," he added.
The wrestler had then written to the SGFI treasurer as his signature was also mentioned on the by-laws but the latter had denied his role in changing the by-laws.
"After noticing fraud in the organisation, I met the sports minister and informed him all clearly. He told me to conduct elections by December after clearing all the irregularities and amending by-laws," the wrestler had said.
"Now I've now filed an FIR against the SGFI secretary under IPC sections 420, 468, 471 and 120 B," he had added.
Sushil then deferred the SGFI elections under the powers given in Sports Code.