In a big development regarding the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections, the Punjab and Haryana High Court stays the voting scheduled on Saturday (August 12) after a petition filed by the Haryana Wrestling Association (HWA).
Haryana Wrestling Association approached the court challenging the move to allow Haryana Amateur Wrestling Association (HAWA) to cast votes in WFI elections. HWA is headed by Member of Parliament Deepinder Hooda and it is officially affiliated with WFI and Haryana Olympic Association (HOA).
According to WFI rules, a state association can send two members to cast votes in its elections. But Haryana Amateur Wrestling Association has also claimed that they have affiliation with the WFI and have the right to vote in elections. Advocate Ravinder Malik, representing Haryana Wrestling Association, revealed that the HAWA is not affiliated with HOA so they are not entitled to vote.
"The returning officer has given the finding in favour of Haryana Amateur Wrestling Association, saying they fulfil the condition of affiliation with WFI as well as Haryana Olympic Association," Ravinder Malik told PTI. "We have challenged the returning officer's order in the HC, saying that the Haryana Amateur Wrestling Association may be affiliated with the WFI but it is not affiliated with the HOA, meaning they are not entitled to participate in the poll process. In case, Haryana Amateur Wrestling Association is allowed to participate in the election process, then it will cause prejudice as well as the WFI elections will be illegal."
Justice Vinod S Bhardwaj of Punjab and Haryana High Court said that letting the Haryana Amateur Wrestling Association vote will cause prejudice.
