VHA elections on December 17, pub on Nov 18

By Paritosh Pramanik

THE much-awaited elections of Vidarbha Hockey Association (VHA) will be held on December 17. Full election programme will be announced on Saturday.
The election process will begin on November 25 with declaration of voters list. Declaration of results will be done on December 17 at the VHA office off Amravati Road, sources said.
In all probability, the voters list will be displayed at VHA office on November 25. Voters will get time to take objection on voters, if any, till November 28.
The sale of nomination forms will begin from November 30 and the last date of submission of forms is likely to be December 5. Election officer Srigopal Madanlal Soni will scrutinise the forms on December 7, it has been learnt while the last date of withdrawal will be December 9. “On the same day final list of candidates will be declared,” a top VHA official said.
Last elections to the association were held in 2014. Since then, the present body has failed to conduct elections every year as per association’s constitution. Elections were declared in 2016 and process was also completed but a court ordered stayed the polls a day before elections after some members objected to the voters’ list. 
VHA had added 51 new members to the list forcing the now-suspended Shyam Sharma to move court.
After several hearings which continued for over six months, the High Court ruled in association’s favour and asked to include 51 members in the voters list.
With their inclusion, the total number of voters has now swelled to 451 which includes 322 patrons and life members and 120 affiliated units. Last year, there were 99 affiliated units.