Delhi High Court Halts BFI's Circular Amid Election Dispute

The Delhi High Court has paused the Boxing Federation of India's circular requiring only elected representatives to participate in upcoming elections. While elections proceed, results hinge on a pending petition, with the next hearing in August. The Delhi Amateur Boxing Association claims unfair exclusion from the electoral college.

In a significant legal development, the Delhi High Court has temporarily halted the Boxing Federation of India's (BFI) March 7 circular, which mandated that only elected representatives from affiliated state units could partake in the upcoming elections. The decision was rendered by Justice Mini Pushkarna, who underscored that the election proceedings and result declarations should continue as planned, albeit subject to the final findings of an ongoing petition.

The court has communicated notices to both the Centre and the BFI, providing them with a four-week window to address the petition. The forthcoming hearing is slated for August, placing a provisional status on the election outcomes until that time. As the party in question, the Delhi Amateur Boxing Association (DABA) contends that the Boxing Federation of India's circular and the Returning Officer's determinations have unjustly barred them from participation in the electoral college for the BFI elections set for March 28, 2025.

In another layer to the unfolding drama, BJP MP Anurag Thakur has been declared "ineligible" to engage in the federation's election process due to non-compliance with the March 7 circular, leading to his exclusion from the final list approved by the Returning Officer. The final electoral college list similarly omitted candidates put forth by the Delhi Amateur Boxing Association. The court clarified that the electoral process and the declaration of results would proceed but remain contingent upon the resolution of the ongoing petition.

Additionally, in a separate stay order, the Delhi High Court challenged the Indian Olympic Association's (IOA) move to form an ad-hoc committee to supervise the Boxing Federation of India until elections are conducted. This decision, dated February 24 and signed by IOA President P.T. Usha, faced opposition from the BFI, which argued that as an autonomous entity, it is governed internally by its constitution and regulations, thus maintaining authority over boxing affairs in India.

(With inputs from agencies.)