The Boxing Federation of India’s (BFI) Returning Officer, Justice (Retd) Rajesh Tandon, has disqualified vice-president Rajesh Bhandari’s nomination for the presidency, citing a breach of the Model Election Guidelines under the National Sports Development Code, 2011.
According to the RO, Bhandari submitted three nomination papers for the top post—one more than the allowed limit of two—making his candidature invalid. The decision was based on Article 31(6) of the BFI’s amended constitution, which explicitly mandates adherence to the 2011 guidelines.
Bhandari had argued that the current elections were not bound by the code, but the RO pointed out that the election notification had clearly stated its applicability.
With Bhandari out of the race for president, the contest is now between incumbent Ajay Singh, seeking a third straight term, and Jaslal Pradhan of the Sikkim unit.
Bhandari, however, remains eligible to contest for other positions, including secretary-general and vice-president.
Meanwhile, Bhandari’s and the Delhi Amateur Boxing Association’s objections to Ajay Singh’s nomination—citing a mandatory cooling-off period—were dismissed. The RO upheld Singh’s eligibility, stating that his nomination met all constitutional requirements.
The presidential polls, now a direct face-off between Singh and Pradhan, are expected to play a decisive role in shaping the federation’s future leadership.
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