NDFA set to lose vote counts in WIFA

By Paritosh Pramanik

July 31, 2022

NAGPUR District Football Association (NDFA), the football governing body of the district, is set to lose a couple of votes in the Western India Football Association (WIFA).

During a meeting of WIFA held on Friday, few district associations demanded equal votes for all districts.

Till now, districts’ votes were counted according to the strength of their clubs. Districts like Pune, Nagpur, Mumbai, Thane, Kolhapur who have more than 20 affiliated clubs had the advantage of two or three voting rights. Amravati had two votes.

But the executive committee, after discussion, decided to amend the constitution and make it a one-district-one vote. Nagpur used to have three votes in WIFA.

According to NDFA secretary Iqbal Kashmiri, who attended the meeting along with President Haresh Vora, who is Vice-President of WIFA, it was decided to amend the constitution and make it an even field for all associations.

“We have more than 80 registered clubs. According to the present WIFA constitution, districts having more than 20 clubs have the advantage of two votes. Similarly, districts with more than 30 registered clubs had three votes. Till now, NDFA used to have three votes in WIFA,” Kashmiri told ‘The Hitavada’.

WIFA has 34 affiliated districts and some of them were against this ‘impartiality’.

“Several members had submitted a memorandum to change the constitution of WIFA and to make it (votes) equal for all districts. WIFA President Praful Patel also said that everywhere it is the same (number of votes for an association). ‘AIFF too has one vote for one State, same is at FIFA’ Patel informed the meeting,” said Kashmiri.

Patel directed all districts to submit their annual report after which allocation of votes would be decided. 

The general body meeting of WIFA will be held in Kolhapur.

“Those associations submitting their annual report which include tournaments conducted, players registration, press coverage of tournaments, scoresheets, and other events, will get the voting rights. Those failing to submit detailed reports would lose their voting rights,” informed Kashmiri, who is also a WIFA executive committee member.