New Delhi, Feb 13 : A case filed by the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Satranj Sangh (Chhattisgarh State Chess Association) in the Delhi High Court against the inordinate delay in holding the elections in All India Chess Federation (AICF) seems to have propelled the chess body into a election mode, said an official of state chess body.

"We have filed a case in the Delhi High Court as the elections are getting delayed. The hearing will be on 14.2.2024. It seems on coming to know of our case the election process has begun in AICF," the official told IANS on condition of anonymity.  On February 10, the two Returning Officers for the AICF elections -- Justice G.S.Sistani (Retired), Former Judge, Delhi High Court, Justice Rang Nath Pandey (Retired), Former Judge, High Court of Allahabad –announced March 10 as the election date.  The election announcement has come a bit late as in the normal scheme of things, the polls should have been held on or before January 3, 2024. 

"Members are hereby informed that the election of the All India Chess Federation for the years 2024-2027 shall be held in New Delhi on the 10th day of March 2024 at the venue to be notified along with the election schedule and election procedure," the two Returning Officers had announced on February 10.  Following that, the AICF on 11.2.2024 called a General Body Meeting on March 10, 2024 in New Delhi.  AICF’s president Dr. Sanjay Kapoor and interim secretary Ajeet Kumar Verma were not available for comments when contacted by IANS.  In an interaction with IANS earlier interim secretary Verma had said the Federation has written to the government seeking time till March this year to hold the elections.