PT Usha gets green light for IOA polls despite objections over Ice Hockey membership

PT Usha's nomination for the December 5 Indian Olympic Association elections has been cleared after the Electoral Officer rejected objections over her membership of the Ice Hockey Association of India, keeping her bid for another term as president alive.

In Short

• PT Usha's nomination for the December 5 IOA elections has been cleared
• The Electoral Officer rejected objections over her IHAI membership
• The decision keeps Usha's bid for another term as IOA president alive

The Electoral Officer of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has cleared the nominations of its president PT Usha and Ice Hockey Association of India (IHAI) Secretary General Harjinder Singh to the electoral college for the December 5 elections, rejecting objections raised against their inclusion.

According to a report by news agency PTI, the objections were filed on November 13 against the provisional electoral college, with a faction of the IHAI questioning Usha's eligibility on the grounds that she was not a member of the national federation. The objections also challenged Harjinder's inclusion.

NOMINATIONS CLEARED

The Electoral Officer sought a response from the IHAI and summoned its representatives for a personal hearing on November 14. Harjinder and Srinivas Kotni appeared before the officer and maintained that both Usha and the incumbent Secretary General were active members of the association.

They also submitted an affidavit, attested by a notary on November 14, along with supporting records and clarifications addressing the objections.

During the proceedings, the Electoral Officer sought clarification from the IOA on whether an individual associated with a particular sport could hold membership only in the corresponding National Sports Federation (NSF), or could also become a member of another NSF.

The IOA clarified that membership of another NSF did not automatically disqualify an individual from representing a different federation.

The Assistant Returning Officer's decision noted that neither the IOA Constitution nor the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, and its associated rules contained a clear provision distinguishing or restricting such membership.

Article 10.4 of the IOA Constitution, ratified in September this year, states that representatives nominated by each unit or NSF must be members of that respective organisation.

After examining the objections and the submissions made by the parties, the Electoral Officer rejected the challenges and accepted both nominations.

USHA'S COMEBACK BID

Usha's nomination is particularly significant as she had failed to secure election as one of the four female Sportspersons of Merit (SOMs). She was subsequently nominated to the IOA General Body by the IHAI on Thursday as one of its two representatives, keeping her bid for another term as president alive.

Former IOA president Narinder Batra had also raised objections to Usha's nomination, along with that of Executive Committee member Harpal Singh, who was nominated by the Ice Hockey Association of India and Ski and Snowboard India.

Batra had written to IOA Electoral Officer Sanjay Kumar Srivastava, seeking verification of Usha's original membership application, the date she was admitted to the IHAI, her category of membership and the specific provision of the federation's constitution under which she was granted membership.

The Electoral Officer is scheduled to publish the final electoral roll on Sunday evening, ahead of the December 5 IOA elections.

- Ends