Rival factions of IGU to hold separate AGMs to elect office bearers on Sunday

New Delhi, Dec 14 (PTI) Rival factions of Indian Golf Union (IGU) one led by its president Brijinder Singh and the other by its Secretary General Harish Shetty will hold separate elections here on Sunday with different electoral rolls and returning officers as infighting continued in the controversy-ridden national federation.
     The elections called by Singh faction will be held at the India Habitat Centre here and will be conducted by Justice (retd) Rameshwar Singh Malik who has been permitted by the Delhi High Court to supervise the polls as Returning Officer (RO).
     Singh is set to be declared elected as president by Justice (retd) Malik as he is the sole candidate for the top post, while Satish Kumar and Sanjeev Rattan were also the only contestants for secretary and treasurer respectively.
     Justice (retd) Malik, the third appointee after Justice (retd) OP Garg and Justice (retd) Permod Kohli, has already stated that there was no need to conduct the elections since there was only one contestant for each post.
     As per the election schedule, nominations were to be finalized by December 5, with the final list of candidates confirmed after scrutiny and withdrawals by December 10.
     Meanwhile, Shetty is set to be elected president with Basant Kumar Repswal as secretary general in the elections being conducted by the rival faction on Sunday.
     Interestingly, Shetty's faction will hold the elective AGM at the Olympic Bhavan -- the headquarters of the Indian Olympic Association -- with Justice (retd) Garg as Returning Officer.
     The Bengal Golf Association had challenged the appointment of Justice (retd) Malik as the RO, but the Delhi High Court had declined to interfere with the IGU elections and allowed Malik to serve as Returning Officer.
     However, the HC granted the petitioner -- the Bengal Golf Association -- the liberty to challenge the election after the results are declared.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)