The Sports Ministry has suspended the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI), headed by Deepa Malik, over a delay in conducting the elections for its government committee and referred to as the delay in elections “willful and intentional”.

The final elections of PCI have been held in September 2019 however attributable to an order handed by the Delhi High Court in W.P. No. 10647/2019 staying the notification of election dated 03.09,2019 and the Returning Officer was additionally restrained from declaring the results of the elections. As such, the outcomes of the election weren’t declared.

The Delhi High Court vide order dated 27.01.2020 allowed the declaration of outcomes of the election notified on 03.09.2019 topic to the additional orders to be handed within the mentioned petition.

In pursuance of the above order of Delhi High Court, the Returning Officer declared the outcomes of election on 31.01.2020. So, 4 yr time period of the Executive Committee of PCI has ended on 31.01.2024.

The elections for electing new Executive Committee ought to have been held earlier than the expiry of the time period of the earlier Executive Committee. However, PCI has vide discover dated 22.01.2024 introduced that the elections shall be held on 28.03.2024 at Bengaluru, which signifies a considerable hole of just about two months after the expiry of the time period of the earlier Executive Committee.

“…whereas the PCI was well aware of the fact that the term of the Executive Committee was only up to 31.01.2024, its decision to hold the election on 28.03.2024 is willful, intentional and without any valid reason. Such failure undermines the democratic process and the principles of good governance as mandated under the National Sports Development Code of India. Compliance with the Sports Code is imperative to ensure transparent and democratic governance in Indian Sports in a legally sound framework, at par with the other,” the ministry wrote in its suspension order on Saturday.

“Whereas taking note of the intentional delay by the PCI in the conduct of the election to elect a new executive committee, vis a vis the essentiality of upholding good governance and accountability standards in sports federations nationwide and the requirements of all the NSFs, NOC, NPC to adhere strictly to the Sports Code, the Government is left with no choice but to suspend the recognition of PCI with immediate effect till further orders,” it added.

The Ministry additionally directed the Sports Authority of India (SAI) to coordinate with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to kind an Ad Hoc Committee comprising eminent directors and sportspersons to undertake these duties carried out by PCI to safeguard the pursuits of the Indian para-sportspersons and the para-sports disciplines, who will oversee the operations of the PCI, and conduct free, truthful and clear elections as per the extant directions below the Sports Code together with the structure of the PCI.

According to Sports Ministry, elections to elect new workplace bearers in IOA and NSFs shall be performed at the very least one month earlier than the expiry of the time period of the workplace bearers.

(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is printed from a syndicated information company feed – IANS)