Anurag Thakur's Nomination Rejected by Boxing Federation of India: A Closer Look

The Boxing Federation of India has deemed former Sports Minister Anurag Thakur ineligible to be part of the electoral college for its March elections. Despite being an elected Executive Council member of the Himachal Pradesh Boxing Association, the BFI states he is not a bonafide elected member.

The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has ruled former Sports Minister Anurag Thakur ineligible for inclusion in its electoral college, finalised for the upcoming March elections. The BFI cited violations of a March 2025 notice and the National Sports Development Code of India 2011 as reasons for this decision.

The Himachal Pradesh Boxing Association (HPBA) asserts Thakur is a duly elected Executive Council member, but the BFI counters this claim, stating that Thakur was not part of previous official records. The BFI is responsible for scrutinising candidate eligibility and communicating this to the returning officer.

Justice RK Gauba, the returning officer, announced the elections schedule, with nominations opening from March 14 to March 16 and the final candidate list available on March 22. Incumbent BFI president Ajay Singh is expected to seek re-election. Meanwhile, the IOA's Ad-hoc panel for boxing operations faces legal challenges from the High Court.

(With inputs from agencies.)