All allegations against me are baseless: Election officer Soni
Sports Reporter
AMID blame game and responsibility-evading officials the scheduled election of the Vidarbha Hockey Association (VHA) looks a non-starter in the near future.
After drawing flak from VHA officials for “keeping in abeyance” elections originally scheduled on November 27, the Election Officer Shreegopal Soni has reiterated that without funds and legal opinion he would not proceed further.
Addressing a press conference on Monday, Soni yet again reminded the VHA officials that he would need funds to seek legal opinion on the High Court’s stay order on the voting rights of 51 new members.
“I need funds to conduct election and seek legal opinion on the HC stay order.
“Without this I cannot proceed further,” Soni said.
Soni refuted all allegations levelled against him over his working. “A few members of the association, who till November 24 were praising my way of working, are levelling baseless allegations. I am not favouring anybody. The election process is transparent and time to time I have consulted spokespersons of both the panels,” clarified Soni.
“The legal fees is around Rs 20,000. I have to take opinion from top advocates regarding the High Court’s stay order. I can’t spend this amount from my pocket,” he added.
To a query as to how he continued without funds, Soni said, “Till now, the money I have spent on election process is from the funds generated from sale of nomination forms. A few thousands have been spent from my own pocket,” Soni revealed.
VHA treasurer Shyam Sharma, in the centre of controversy for not releasing funds, has had shown his inability to sign cheques. “I have no power to do so after the election date was announced,” he has reasoned.
In another embarrassing situation, the association, till date, has not changed the signatory in banks after the then secretary Vinod Trivedi resigned in January 2016 and DS Karunashankar was appointed in his place.
The association’s constitution, made in 1959, states “All cheques or drafts on the association’s bankers shall be operated both by the honorary treasurer and the honorary secretary.”
President Radheshyam Sarda, however, said that the association can release funds for election purpose at any given time. “They are making false statements that VHA can’t release funds after election date was announced,” said Sarda.
Meanwhile, the members are confused as to who would be in charge of the association if the election was called off. Some feel that the Sarda-led body cannot hold posts anymore after the election was announced.
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