Farooq Abdullah, Sitaram Yechury hail capping of tenures of heads of sports bodies

New Delhi, May 3 (ANI): Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah and Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Sitaram Yechury on Monday appreciated the decision of the Sports Ministry to cap the tenure of office-bearers in various sports bodies.

"Change will bring in new ideas. None should think that there is anything wrong in that. It's not proper for people to occupy office for 40 years, said Abdullah.

"It is appropriate, it is democratic and we support it," said CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury.

Earlier on Sunday, a statement released from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports said: "With a view to encouraging professional management, good governance, transparency, accountability, democratic elections, etc. in National Sports Federations (NSFs), including Indian Olympic Association (IOC), the Government has decided to restore the tenure clause, which was kept in abeyance since October, 2001, with immediate effect subject to the modification that the maximum tenure of the President of an NSF, including IOA, shall be twelve years with or without break; and that for the Secretary and the Treasurer shall be not more than two successive tenures of four years each."

"The Secretary and the Treasurer shall be eligible for standing for re-election to the post after a minimum interval of four years. Further, there will be a retirement age of seventy years for all members and office bearers. This brings our tenure regulation in line with that of IOC. The above mentioned tenure limit shall come into operation with immediate effect for all elections conducted henceforth," the ministry added.

"However, in the case of existing office bearers who are attracting the above restrictions, but were duly elected to their posts, and are currently serving their tenure, the tenure limit ill be enforceable only after the expiry of the current tenure," it announced. (ANI)