Hockey India goes for polls on Wednesday

New Delhi: After three postponements and an acrimonious run-up marked by mudslinging from both the camps, Hockey India goes for its much-awaited polls here on Wednesday with a question mark over its legality.

But on the eve of the elections, there was much drama and confusion with the Delhi High Court contending that the erstwhile KPS Gill-led Indian Hockey Federation was the only recognised federation for the game in the country and HI is a private body.

The court directive prompted the Sports Ministry to withdraw its observer SK Mendiratta from the elections but HI officials made it clear that they would go ahead with the polls irrespective of the court order.

Hockey India, which has the recognition of the International Hockey Federation (FIH), has to complete its election process by the world body stipulated deadline of July 31, failing which India would be barred from participating in international tournaments.

After intense discussions, HI officials decided late in the evening to go ahead with the elections which will see 83-year-old Vidya Stokes and former India captain Pargat Singh contesting for the post of president.

"As scheduled we will be conducting our elections on Wednesday. All the state federations officials have already arrived here and as directed by the High Court's order we have given them the clarification on HI's status," an HI official said.

"The government has withdrawn its observer but FIH observer Antonio von Ondarza has already arrived for the polls," the official added.

Abiding by the High Court's directive, the Sports Ministry withdrew its observer for HI elections.

In a letter, the ministry stated that it decided to withdraw its observer, Mendiratta from the poll process on the instruction of the High Court, which on Tuesday said IHF was the solely representative of the national game in the country and HI was a private body.

"The government election observer's presence at the Annual General Meeting of HI, which is scheduled to be held tomorrow, does not in any manner reflect government's endorsement of the election process or its outcome. However, in deference to Honourable High Court's directives, the government has decided not to depute the government election observer to oversee the elections," the letter signed by Joint Secretary Injeti Srinivas said.