New Delhi, Feb 18 (PTI) The government has said the recent changes in the constitution of the Volleyball Federation of India is against the National Sports Code and asked the VFI to restore the provisions relating to tenure of office bearers or face serious consequences.

The sports ministry said it had received a letter from the VFI secretary general regarding amendments in the tenure provisions of the office bearers.

The new provisions incorporated by the VFI said: "No member shall hold the post of the secretary-general or treasurer for more than two consecutive terms of eight years whichever is less but can contest for the post of president after completion of two terms without a cooling off period.

"However, it shall be mandatory requirement that only those members who have held the office and were elected member in the last three executive committee of the federation shall only be eligible to contest for the post of the president and the secretary-general."

The ministry said that the amendments were against the tenure guidelines issued by it for the national sports federations. It directed the VFI to restore the tenure clause of the office bearers in its constitution as per the ministry's guidelines, failing which "action as deemed fit" may be initiated against the federation.

"This exercise should be carried out at the earliest and before the next election of the executive body of the VFI," a letter from the ministry said.

The ministry said that the tenure of the existing executive body of the VFI is for the period 2016-20 and will end on April 4.

The ministry directed the VFI to inform it as soon as the returning officer issues the election notice. It also asked the VFI to conduct the polls as per the model election guidelines issued by it.

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