Kolkata: Hockey India general secretary Bhola Nath Singh on Sunday was elected as the President of Hockey Jharkhand for the fourth consecutive term at the 13th annual meeting in Ranchi.The decision, however, comes amid legal challenges over Singh’s eligibility to continue in office.The National Sports Governance Act, 2025 states that “a person can hold the position of president or general secretary or treasurer, as the case may be, up to three consecutive terms separately, or in combination”.Hockey Jharkhand, however, insisted that Singh’s re-appointment was in accordance with the National Sports Policy 2025, which Hockey India has set.In a release, the association said “due to his service in the international sports body, Bhola Nath Singh has been elected as the President of Hockey Jharkhand for the fourth consecutive time”.Apart from being the president of Hockey Jharkhand and general secretary of Hockey India, Singh has also been the vice-president of the Asian Hockey Federation (AHF) since he was appointed to the post in March 2023.Meanwhile, Manoj Kumar Prasad was appointed as general secretary, while Asrita Lakra was appointed as treasurer.The development comes days after a group of 13 former international hockey players submitted a notice to Hockey Jharkhand and the Jharkhand sports department, questioning the legitimacy of the decision. Many of the protesters, including Sumrai Tete, and former Indian women’s captain Asunta Lakra, staged a peaceful protest outside the stadium carrying placards, but did not speak publicly.During the AGM, Hockey Jharkhand also approved its annual accounts and reports for 2025-2026 and distributed sports equipment worth ₹ 65,000 each to 20 states as part of grassroots development.