New Delhi, Jan 11 (IANS) Hockey India (HI) Monday granted affiliation to Punjab and Delhi and fixed Feb 7 as the new date to elect its office-bearers.
HI president Ashok Kumar Mattoo, after a meeting with International Hockey Federation (FIH) vice-president Antonio Van Ondarza, said they have sorted out important issues pertaining to the polls.

“We have made substantial progress today. There were some issues and that have been cleared now. We have fixed Feb 7 as the date for election,” Mattoo told reporters after the meeting.

“We have done the documentation for the election and now it is for the FIH observer and the government-appointed observer to go through it,” he said.

Mattoo said that Delhi and Punjab have been affiliated to the national organisation.

“These are some important decisions taken in the meeting. We have initiated the election process. We also analysed the government guidelines for the election,” he said.

The elections have been postponed twice. They were supposed to be held last year, but were pushed back to Jan 29, and had to be deferred again after HI was not able to give the mandatory 21-day notice for the elections.

HI had raised doubts about Hockey Punjab’s (HP) election and had asked for clarification.

“They had asked for the minutes of the meeting and we gave it to them. I am happy that they have granted the affiliation,” HP secretary general Pargat Singh said.

Asked whether he will contest the HI election, Pargat said: “We will sit down and decide the future course of action.”

However, the affiliation granted to an ad hoc body of Hockey Delhi under the chairmanship of Raj Chopra may raise eyebrows.

Former hockey chief K.P.S Gill and secretary of disbanded Indian Women’s Hockey Federation Amrit Bose, are part of the ad hoc committee.

Ondarza said he was satisfied with the progress made by HI.

“I am happy that the issues have been solved. Now we have a clear understanding of the election process.”