Sarita Devi beats Seema Punia 22-9 in a secret ballot held during Elite Women Nationals
Continuing reforms and with an aim to provide representation to practicing boxers, the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) on Wednesday elected a female boxer, former world champion L. Sarita Devi, to its Executive Council. Earlier, a male boxer had been inducted into the council.
Manipur’s Sarita Devi had only one contestant against her, Seema Punia from the Railways, and she beat her 22-9 votes, through a secret ballot. The votes were cast by 31 BFI units that participated in the election, held during the 2nd Elite Women Nationals at the National Boxing Academy (NBA) in Rohtak, Haryana.
Initially, six candidates expressed their willingness to contest. But during the window kept open for withdrawal of nominations, four of them withdrew, leaving the field open for a straight contest between Sarita Devi and Seema Punia. “After a time period was kept open for both candidates to canvass for votes a secret ballot was held under video [in-camera] and in front of BFI officials, the electoral college and few coaches and managers who had come to observe the same,” said Kowli.
After the final vote was cast the counting was done in front of all present, Sarita polled 22 votes while nine units supported Seema. The election was conducted by Arjuna Awardee Rajendra Prasad, Chairman of Athletics and Youth Commission, BFI. He was supported by Dr CB Raje, BFI vice-president and Dr Minu Tadang, Chairperson of Women Commission.