Speculation abounds on whether players would have voting rights or not in the All India Football Federation (AIFF) elections scheduled for August 28.
The Supreme Court in its August 3 verdict approved the Committee of Administrators’ draft constitution where 36 ‘Eminent Players’ will have voting rights along with the state associations.
However, Fifa in its suspension letter has said AIFF should “hold its elections based on the pre-existing membership structure of AIFF (i.e. state associations only).”
“The players will not have voting rights,” a top source told The Telegraph late on Thursday. The Supreme Court, on Wednesday, adjourned the hearing on the AIFF case till August 22 asking the government to adopt a proactive role with Fifa regarding the ban and the hosting of the Under-17 Women’s World Cup.
Despite the confusion and uncertainty over the future of the elected body, nominations for the posts of president, treasurer and the executive committee would be filed on Friday in the office of the returning officer Umesh Sinha. The deadline is 1pm.
No nominations were received on the first two days. NA Haris, Congress MLA and president of the Karnataka State Football Association, and Shaji Prabhakaran (Football Delhi head) are confirmed to be in the race for the president’s post. Former India player Eugeneson Lyngdoh (representing Meghalaya Football Association) is also likely to be in the fray.
Former India goalkeeper and state BJP leader Kalyan Choubey could also try his luck for the top post. Buzz is Ajit Banerjee, brother of chief minister Mamata Banerjee and president of the Indian Football Association (IFA), will also contest for the president’s post even though Banerjee told The Telegraph late on Thursday that there was no surety on that. “I am game to be a member of the executive committee,” he said from New Delhi.
The deadline is 1pm on Friday and it will not be surprising if he has a change of mind. Banerjee came in after IFA chairman Subrata Dutta was “deemed disqualified” by the returning officer.
