FMSCI elections - new president to be announced soon

The Federation of Motor Sport Clubs of India (FMSCI), the only Indian motorsport body currently affiliated to the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile, has just concluded elections that will decide the council for the years 2014 and 2015. It is from within the newly elected council that a new president of the FMSCI will be chosen by the council members. Outgoing president of the FMSCI, Vicky Chandhok, has chosen not to stand for elections this year, having served as president of India's ASN for seven of the last nine years. While up until now the presidential elections were held every year, from this year onwards each president will have to serve a term of two years, which means the next FMSCI election can be expected to take place between September and December 2015.

Here is a quick overview of the electoral process. The FMSCI has as many as 84 member clubs. However, of these member clubs, there are only 15 clubs that are eligible to vote for the eight member council. And it is from within this eight member council that the president and vice-president of the FMSCI will be elected. The five founder members of the FMSCI are permanently a part of the council, provided they organise a certain number of events and perform to a certain level, gaining them enough points to remain on the council. However, of these five members, it is only the Madras Motor Sports Club (MMSC), Coimbatore Auto Sports Club (CASC) and the Karnataka Motor Sports Club (KMSC) that have performed adequately in 2012, ensuring their place on the council. Given that the Calcutta Motor Sports Club (CMSC) and the Indian Auto Racing Club (IARC) haven't performed in 2012, there were five seats to contest for.

The nine ordinary members who were eligible for election to the council for the remaining five seats were Sportscraft, Western India Sports Association (WISA), Sportstrek, MECO Motorsports, Performance Cars Racing Trust (PCRT), Spitfire, Motor Sports Club of Chikmagalur (MSCC), Bengal Motor Sports Club (BMSC) and Himachal Motor Sports Club (HMSC). Of these clubs, OVERDRIVE has been told that Sportscraft, WISA and Sportstrek unofficially withdrew their names from the election.

While the election process has been completed on December 23, 2013, the results of the same will only be available on January 8, 2014 due to a court injunction. Once the council is elected, the president and vice president of the FMSCI will be chosen.

Rumour has it that the prime candidates in the running to be FMSCI president are Prithvirajan J of the CASC and Bharath Raj (currently the vice-president of the FMSCI) of the KMSC.