KOLKATA: Hockey India general secretary Bhola Nath Singh was elected unopposed as president of the Jharkhand Hockey Association for a fourth consecutive term at the association’s 13th annual general meeting in Ranchi on Sunday.However, the election comes amid legal challenges to Singh’s continued eligibility to serve.The National Sports Governance Act 2025 states that “a person may serve consecutively as President, Secretary-General or Treasurer, as the case may be, for a maximum of three consecutive terms individually or for a combination of three terms”.However, the Jharkhand Hockey Association maintained that Singh’s re-election was in line with the National Sports Policy 2025 implemented by Hockey India.“Bhola Nath Singh has been elected President of the Jharkhand Hockey Association for the fourth consecutive time due to his position as an international sports federation,” the association said in an official press release.Apart from serving as president of the Jharkhand Hockey Association and secretary-general of the Hockey Association of India, Singh has also served as vice-president of the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) since his election in March 2023.Meanwhile, Manoj Kumar Prasad was elected as the general secretary without any objection, while Asrita Lakra was elected as the treasurer.A few days ago, a group of 13 former international and national hockey players sent a legal notice to the Jharkhand Hockey Association and the Jharkhand Sports Department challenging the legality of the election process. Several petitioners, including Sumrai Tete and former India women’s team captain Asunta Lakra, protested peacefully outside the venue holding placards but did not make any public statement.During the AGM, the Jharkhand Hockey Association also approved the annual accounts and report for 2025-26 and distributed sports equipment worth Rs 65,000 each to 20 districts as part of its grassroots development programme.
