# Indian Olympic Association governance and elections

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/indian-olympic-association-governance-and-elections
> Updated: 2026-10-10T09:35:28.000Z. Sources: 4. Developments: 2.

The Indian Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports granted the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) a special exemption under the National Sports Governance Act to maintain its 16-member Executive Council. This exemption, based on recommendations from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), allows the council to include ex-officio IOC members with voting rights, bypassing a previous 15-member limit.

Following this structural adjustment, the IOA scheduled elections for its new Executive Council to take place on December 5, 2026. The election process, overseen by returning officer Sanjay Kumar Srivastava, will include the Athletes’ Commission and Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit (SOMs). The newly elected council is set to serve a four-year term from 2026 to 2030.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-10: Indian Olympic Association sets December 5 for Executive Council elections

The Indian Olympic Association will elect its new Executive Council on December 5, 2026, aiming to strengthen governance and transparency in alignment with the Olympic Charter.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/indian-olympic-association-sets-december-5-for-executive-council-elections

### 2026-09-11: Indian Ministry grants IOA exemption to keep 16-member council

India's Sports Ministry has granted the Indian Olympic Association an exemption to maintain its 16-member Executive Council, following recommendations from the International Olympic Committee.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/indian-ministry-grants-ioa-exemption-to-keep-16-member-council

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Cite as: Indian Olympic Association governance and elections. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/indian-olympic-association-governance-and-elections