Published on: Aug 14, 2025 09:58 pm IST
Bhandari’s ouster means incumbent Ajay Singh will be up against Sikkim unit’s Jaslal Pradahan for the top job
New Delhi: In a major fillip to Ajay Singh’s bid for a third term as Boxing Federation of India (BFI) president, the Returning Officer Justice (retd) Rajesh Tandon on Thursday rejected the candidature of Rajesh Bhandari for “violating the provision of the Model Election Guidelines.”
Bhandari had filed his nomination for the posts of secretary-general, vice-president and president which was objected to by Narender Kumar Nirwan. Vice-president of the north-west zone in the earlier BFI dispensation, Nirwan is once again running for the post of VP. The model election guidelines of the 2011 code, Nirwan contended, allowed only two nominations by a candidate. Bhandari argued that the fact that elections will be held as per the 2011 sports code was not notified and therefore his candidature should stand.
The RO, however, didn’t see merit in Bhandari’s defence and found his nomination in violation of Article 6(3) of Model Election Guidelines of the Sports Code that states “each candidate shall be entitled to be nominated by not more than two nomination papers.” The RO noted that the election notification issued by the Interim Committee had stated that the polls will be held in accordance with the new BFI constitution that’s been approved by World Boxing.
“Article 31(6) of BFI Constitution categorically states that election procedure shall be in accordance with the Model Election Guidelines of the National Sports Development Code of India, 2011,” Justice Tandon said. Bhandari’s nomination for presidency was the “last in point of time to be received” and hence the same was rejected while his other two nominations stand valid.
The development means BFI presidency will be a contest between Ajay Singh and Sikkim unit’s Jaslal Pradhan.
Further, the RO rejected Bhandari and Delhi Amateur Boxing Association’s (DABA) objection to Ajay Singh’s nomination. Citing a 2022 judgment in the case of Rahul Mehra vs Union of India and Others, Bhandari had argued that Singh ought to go into a mandatory cooling off period.
The RO, however, went by Article 31(6) of BFI Constitution and rejected Bhandari and DABA’s objection.
The nomination of Kerala unit’s Sooraj NK for the post of Treasurer was also rejected for the same reason as Bhandari’s. His bid for the posts of secretary general and vice-president, however, stand.
