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Vidya Stokes elected Hockey India president

Last updated on: August 05, 2010 15:46 IST

Vidya Stokes was elected Hockey India president. She defeated former India captain Pargat Singh in the much-awaited polls in New Delhi on Thursday.

Stokes, who is the interim Hockey India president, won the straight contest by a big margin of 41-21, though the official results will be announced later as per the Delhi high court directive.

The 83-year-old Stokes fought the elections defying the government's age limitation guidelines.

Stokes's close ally Narinder Batra also won. He defeated Gunjam Haider of Hockey Arunachal 41-18 for the secretary-general's post.

Mustaq Ahmed, another candidate from Stokes's faction, won the election for the treasurer's post, defeating Haider 45-17.

The Hockey India elections were postponed four times for varied reasons, most recently on July 28 after the Delhi and Bombay high courts stayed the election process.

While the Delhi high court stayed the polls following the failure of the Central government to clarify its legal position regarding Hockey India and the Indian Hockey Federation, the Bombay high court did the same on a petition filed by the Maharashtra Hockey Association.

Hockey India, however, moved the Supreme Court against the orders and got the stay vacated on July 30, obtaining a green signal from the apex court to hold its elections.

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