Anurag Thakur Barred Once Again From BFI Elections! Name Left Out of Electoral College
Anurag Thakur has been declared ineligible for the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) elections due to violations of the BFI Constitution. The elections are scheduled for August 21, as per World Boxing’s set deadline.
Former Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur has once again been found ineligible to participate in the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) elections, after his name was missing from the official electoral college released on Wednesday for the upcoming elections to be held on August 21.
The Himachal Pradesh Boxing Association (HPBA) had put forward Thakur—who is also a sitting Member of Parliament—along with its President Rajesh Bhandari as delegates for the federation’s Annual General Meeting (AGM). The AGM will play a decisive role in choosing the office-bearers of BFI for the 2025–2029 term.
However, the interim committee currently handling BFI affairs—set up by World Boxing in April—has left out Thakur from the 66-member electoral college after a thorough verification process.
Cited for Violating BFI Constitution
According to the interim panel headed by Fairuz Mohamed, Thakur’s nomination was found to violate Article 20 (iii) and (vii) of the revised BFI Constitution, which was officially approved by World Boxing on May 18.
Clause (iii) states that a nominee representing a State or Union Territory association at the AGM “must be an elected member of that association at the election AGM duly notified to BFI and in the presence of a BFI observer.” Since Thakur is not an elected member of the HPBA, he stands disqualified under this clause.
His nomination had earlier been disallowed in the cancelled March 28 elections as well, on the same grounds—though at that time, it was based on an internal circular issued by then BFI President Ajay Singh. That internal order has now been included in the formally approved BFI Constitution, thereby giving it stronger legal validity.
Clause (vii) of Article 20 further disqualifies “Government servants or individuals holding public office” from being nominated. Since Thakur serves as an MP representing Himachal Pradesh, this clause also applies in his case.
Other Nominations Rejected; Legal Proceedings Continue
In a similar instance, the nomination of Rohit Jainendra Jain from the Delhi Amateur Boxing Association was also rejected under Clause (iii), as he too is not an elected member of his state association.
Meanwhile, the HPBA has not stepped back. Its President Rajesh Bhandari recently confirmed that the association has filed a legal case challenging the constitutional amendments. According to Bhandari, the changes made by the interim panel were carried out without obtaining approval from the Executive Council, raising questions about procedural validity.
Election Schedule and World Boxing’s Deadline
The current BFI office-bearers’ term concluded on February 2, and elections were initially scheduled for March 28. However, continuous legal hurdles—including multiple petitions and counter-petitions—caused the electoral process to be put on hold.
In the meantime, World Boxing—the global authority which has taken temporary control over BFI matters—has set a final deadline of August 31 for completing the elections. This makes the August 21 election crucial for the future functioning of the federation.
