The Delhi High Court has delivered a significant verdict on the petition challenging the recent elections of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). The High Court dismissed the petition filed by top wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, and Satyawart Kadian.
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has delivered a major blow to top wrestlers Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, and Satyawart Kadian. The court dismissed their petition challenging the elections of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). According to reports, these wrestlers failed to appear in court on several occasions, leading the Delhi High Court to decide to dismiss their petition.
Wrestlers' Petition and Election Dispute
In this matter, the wrestlers had argued in court that there were administrative and procedural flaws in the WFI elections, which raised questions about the fairness of the sports body. They contended that there was a lack of proper representation and transparency in the elections. Specifically, alleged irregularities affecting the contest between candidates Sanjay Singh and Anita Sheoran, who were vying for the president's post, were highlighted.
Sanjay Singh had won the presidency by defeating Anita Sheoran. The petitioners alleged that despite supporting Anita, the election results were impacted.
Delhi High Court's Decision
The bench of the Delhi High Court, presided over by Justice Mini Pushkarna, made a b remark on the petitioners' absence. During the hearing, it was noted that Bajrang Punia, Sakshi Malik, Vinesh Phogat, and Satyawart Kadian had failed to appear in court for the previous two hearings as well. The court stated in its order that "it appears the petitioners have no interest in pursuing this matter further."
Consequently, the court dismissed the petition and upheld the validity of the WFI elections. According to the court's order, the repeated non-appearance of the petitioners in hearings was the primary reason. The absence of the wrestlers indicated either a lack of desire to pursue the case further or raised questions about the seriousness of their petition.
This incident has given a new turn to the debate surrounding the transparency of the electoral process in Indian wrestling and sports administration. The wrestlers had alleged that the elections were not conducted in a proper environment and a fair manner, but the court did not find this sufficient and dismissed the petition.
