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Anfa sets date for fresh Bhaktapur FA elections

The All Nepal Football Association (Anfa) on Wednesday set April 10 deadline for election of Bhaktapur District Football Association (FA), one of the two districts that forced the football governing body to call off its March 28 general assembly for indefinitely period. Anfa sets date for fresh Bhaktapur FA elections

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Published at : March 29, 2018

Updated at : March 29, 2018 10:26

Kathmandu

“We have directed Bhaktapur FA to conduct their elections by April 10 as per the elections directives which require at least 12-day prior notice,” said Anfa president Narendra Shrestha. The controversy surrounding Bhaktapur and Makawanpur FAs have forced Anfa to call of their elections after they filed writ petition at the Patan High Court against Anfa.

The two FAs have claimed that they were deprived of their rights to participate in the Anfa elections. The High Court had issued interim stay order on March 22 and summoned Anfa for discussion within two weeks. Anfa have already set April 7 deadline for Makawanpur FA to conduct their elections.

Three clubs of Bhaktapur had jointly field writ petition at the Bhaktapur court seeking their rights to election. The court had issued interim order to stay the elections. Later Bhaktapur FA also filed similar writ petition against Anfa at the Patan High Court which ultimately led Anfa to call off its elections on Sunday.

But on disgruntled clubs withdrew the court case on Tuesday and submitted the documents to Anfa paving the way for football governing body to hold the district elections. “Once those districts send the representatives for central elections we will immediately go to the High Court to vacate the case,” said Anfa president Shrestha.

Shrestha also said that the election process of central executive committee, which has been now postponed fourth time in three months, is likely at the end of April. “The election committee has asked for 15 days to hold the election once the court’s issue is solved,” added Shrestha.

Karma Tsering Sherpa, one of the two presidential candidates, said it was a positive sign that Anfa finally set the date for Bhaktapur FA elections. “It is essential to hold elections of in those districts in fair manner at the earliest so as to escape from possible suspension from Asian Football Confederation and Fifa,” Sherpa said. “It seems that Anfa is still trying to delay the election process,” said Sherpa.

Mani Kunwar, backed by president Shrestha and the disgraced former president Ganesh Thapa, leads the other faction. The Anfa general assembly have 77 votes—one each from 45 district FAs and one each from 14 ‘A’ division clubs. The ‘B’ Division clubs have nine and ‘C’ division five votes while four committees—players, coaches, referee and women commission—have one voting rights each.