The Badminton Association of India (BAI) has refused to agree to a Sports Ministry directive that asked the body to give details of its upcoming Annual General Meeting,to be held in Chennai on June 13. In a letter to BAI,joint secretary Injeti Srinivas sought details such as the election notice to its unit members,the nominees,the schedule of filing nominations and withdrawal,modalities of election and names of the observers at the meeting. Talking to The Indian Express,BAI president VK Verma said they need not follow the directives as association elections were the prerogative of BAIs unit members. We have already supplied to the ministry the constitution and statues of BAI and the meeting will be held as per the statutes, said Verma. He insisted that the elections will be held in a transparent manner in the presence of a judge,International Badminton Federation and Indian Olympic Association observers. The ministry,however,said it had a right to send its observer,but Verma refused to accept it. Vermas objections also come in the wake of former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin announcing his decision to contest the BAI elections. At a press conference on Saturday,the Congress Member of Parliament said he had the support of some units in BAI.
