Hockey India has a new president. Dilip Tirkey has been elected for the role in an unopposed fashion. Although the elections were to be held on October 1, the results were declared since there were none to contend him.
Former India hockey skipper Dilip Tirkey, the front-runner for the Hockey India (HI) president's post, was elected on Friday for the top job, unopposed. The HI elections were scheduled to be held on October 1. Still, the results were publicised in advance as no other contestant was available to contend with him for any of the posts. It thus paved the way for the incumbent nominees, who were elected unopposed as per the federation's Constitution.
Tirkey was elected after Rakesh Katyal (Uttar Pradesh Hockey chief) and Bhola Nath Singh of Hockey Jharkhand withdrew their nominations for the president's post on Friday. Meanwhile, Bhola Nath was elected as HI's secretary general, unopposed. Also, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) approved the selection of Tirkey and his team.
The FIH announced in a letter that if the number of contesting prospects for a post is equal to or lesser than the number of positions, they shall be considered elected unopposed. The same has been mentioned on the Hockey India website as per the by-laws of the election. "Therefore, we are pleased to observe that the Executive Board of Hockey India stands elected as has been put on the website of Hockey India and that the posts election was unanimous for all posts," it noted.
(With inputs from PTI)