AICF Polls: Rs 11 lakh difference between Returning Officers' fees raises eyebrows

Glaring Disparity in Election Fees of Returning Officers for AICF’s Office-Bearers’ Elections

Chennai, Feb 17 (IANS) – The All India Chess Federation (AICF) is facing scrutiny due to the significant difference in the fees paid to two Retired High Court Judges appointed as Returning Officers for the office-bearer elections. The matter has raised concerns among chess administrators, specifically regarding the fees set by the Delhi High Court and AICF President Sanjay Kapoor.

The Delhi High Court appointed Justice (Retd) G.S. Sistani as the Returning Officer and fixed a fee of Rs 5,00,000, in addition to ordering that the elections be conducted in Delhi, not in Kanpur where Kapoor resides. Conversely, Kapoor appointed retired Justice Rang Nath Pandey as the Returning Officer in November 2023 with a fee of Rs 16,00,000.

The sharp Rs 11,00,000 increase in the Returning Officer’s fee from the previous election and the fee set by the Delhi High Court has sparked questions and controversy. When questioned about this increase, Kapoor responded dismissively and disconnected the call, according to AICF Treasurer Naresh Sharma.

Additionally, concerns have been raised about the compliance of AICF elections with the National Sports Development Code, 2011, as the eligibility of the AICF and its state affiliates is being questioned. The state of the AICF’s compliance was raised in a court order on February 14, which directed the Government of India to respond to compliance queries.

Furthermore, it was reported that the two Returning Officers did not reply to queries regarding the Delhi High Court’s order, and several state associations did not receive any response to their inquiries.

In light of these developments, the holding of the AICF elections and the compliance of the AICF and its state affiliates with the National Sports Development Code, 2011 remain uncertain.

The alleged lack of compliance and the significant disparity in the fees paid to the Returning Officers have brought the AICF and its election process under intense scrutiny. Additionally, concerns have been raised about the lack of discussion on the matter in AICF’s General Body meetings.

The implications of these issues may have a profound impact on the AICF and its affiliated state and district chess bodies. The controversy may also influence the course of the upcoming AICF office-bearers’ elections. A response from the AICF and its officials on these matters is awaited as further developments unfold.

(Venkatachari Jagannathan can be reached at v.jagannathan@ians.in)

–IANS

vj/arm