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Attempts to include Anurag Thakur in the electoral college for the upcoming Boxing Federation of India elections were quashed after the former sports minister's name was not included in the final list approved by the returning officer on Thursday.
A 60-member electoral college, issued by president Ajay Singh, on Wednesday, said Thakur was "ineligible" for the federation's poll process as his nomination was in violation of the a notice dated 07.03.2025 as well as the National Sports Code.
BFI secretary Hemanta Kalita, however, later released another list which included the former sports minister's name.
But Justice (retd.) R K Gauba, the returning officer, in his order said, Kalita's list cannot be acted upon.
"Having heard all concerned, the undersigned is of the view that the Electoral College List prepared by Mr. Kalita, the incumbent Secretary General of BFI, cannot be acted upon in view of the unambiguous rules vesting in the "overall powers of supervision" over the working of BFI and also responsibility to ‘oversee office Bearers/Members’ of the EC," the order, in possession of PTI, read.
The March 7 notice, sent to all affiliated state associations, had mentioned that "only bonafide and duly elected members during the election AGM (duly notified to BFI) of the State Units affiliated with the BFI shall be authorised to represent their respective States/Union Territories".
It is expected that Thakur's faction, which had approached Gauba earlier in the day, will now take legal action.
"We met and spoke with the returning officer today. Gave him our representation. We are quite hopeful," Himachal Pradesh Boxing Association (HPBA) president Rajesh Bhandari said.
"We will seek court intervention if required. Anurag Thakur is a member of the Himachal Pradesh Boxing Association. He has been a member since 2008," he added.
The final list of electoral college approved by the returning officer also omitted both names sent by the Delhi Amateur Boxing Association -- Rohit Jainendra Jain and Neeraj Kant Bhatt.
The nomination window for the election will remain open from March 14-16.
Former BCCI president Thakur, a BJP MP, was expected to contest for the BFI president's post.
The HPBA nominated Thakur for the elections.
HPBA president Bhandari, also a BFI vice-president, was the other nominated member from the state.
The final list of candidates contesting the election will be published on March 22.
The BFI, which was being run by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA)'s ad-hoc committee for not holding its elections by the due date of February 2, decided to hold its polls on March 28 after the Delhi High Court stayed the IOA order.