New Delhi: Anil Dev Singh, retired Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court will head the three-member election Commission of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

Singh’s appointment was made by IOA acting president Vijay Kumar Malhotra after S.Y Qureshi resigned.

Other members of the commission are Justice V.K.Bali (retd), who is also the returning officer and Justice J.D. Kapur (retd). .

Meanwhile IOA has received yet another letter from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) asking it that the IOA’s elections must be conducted exclusively under its constitution currently in force and the rules of the Olympic charter without any other interference.,

Prof Malhotra in a detailed reply to the IOC has pointed out that IOA is in a very piquant situation “While IOC is insisting that its charter and IOA constitution are paramount .the Government of India has formulated a Sports Code and it wants that IOA and National Sports Federations (NSF) should follow that code.”

“The Sports Ministry of the Government of India has threatened that in case of the non-compliance of the Sports Code, it will withdraw its recognition to the concerned NSFs and even the IOA.”

“The High Court of Delhi has directed the IOA that it should follow the Sports Code while conducting the elections. Defying the orders will lead to contempt of court.” he wrote

“IOA finds itself in a quandary It has no power to defy the High Court. It has to go by the law of the land. On the other hand there is insistence from the IOC to adhere to its charter and existing IOA constitution”

“We are at the cross road, we find all three- Sports Code, IOC insistence and High Court directive are at variance with each other.”

We respect the IOC charter, are fully committed to the autonomy of the IOA and NSF and are also against the sports code of the Government, but we cannot go against the directives of the Court of the Land.” .

“In any case we have set up an Election Commission consisting of three eminent jurists and now the ball is in their court,” Malhotra added.

By Indian Sports News Network