BHUBANESWAR 30-Jun-2011 237
Fight for power in the Orissa State Badminton Association (OSBA) resumed after a lull with seven out of nine affiliated districts conducting fresh election under the supervision of Orissa Olympic Association (OOA) and State Directorate of Sports at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack earlier this week.
Altogether 15 office-bearers, including president Deepak Basu and secretary Pradeep Mohanty were elected uncontested in the process. Fresh election became necessary after the earlier one, held in 2008, was declared null and void by OOA following allegations of irregularity against the then secretary Iqbal Raheman.
According to Binod Dash, an executive member of the newly elected body, Rahman flouted the procedure while conducting election three years ago. ``Valid voter list was not disclosed. Representatives of Puri and Balasore districts were not allowed to take part in the election despite fulfilling all the conditions. Because of these irregularities, representatives of most of the affiliated districts along with observers of OOA and Directorate of Sports walked out the AGM,`` alleged Dash.
OOA, the apex sports body of the state, instructed Raheman to conduct a fresh election after the aggrieved district unit sought its intervened in the matter. But instead of following the instruction, Raheman went to court of law, challenging OOA`s authority to interfere in the internal affairs of OSBA.
He also filed another suit, seeking a stay on the attempt to conduct fresh election by the rebel group. According to OOA secretary Asirbad Behera, the court, however, declined to grant the stay and fresh election was conducted on June 26.
But Raheman did not recognise the the new body and contended that he along with other office-bearers of the earlier body were still in power. ``We are still in power. OOA has no right to dictate terms to us. OSBA is affiliated to Badminton Association of India (BAI) and we have the full support of the National body. Moreover, the matter is now in the court and a clear picture on both the suits is likely to emerge later this month,`` he said.
Meanwhile, both the groups have sent respective representatives to attend the BAI election, which is scheduled to take place at Lucknow on July 2.
New office-bearers: President: Dipak Basu. Working president: Dr FC Subudhi. Vice-presidents: BB Dash, Anup Patro, Paul Sahu, Iqbal Raheman (Subject to consent for his nomination). Secretary: Pradeep Mohanty. Joint-secretaries: Basant Kumar Behera, Sanjay Kumar Brahma. Treasurer: Kartik Chandra Das. Executive members: KC Das, S Singh, Arabinda Pal, Ramzan Ali, Binod Dash.
