Sandesh Jhingan joins HNK Sibenik, to play in Croatia's top tier league
New Delhi, Aug 18: Sandesh Jhingan will become the first India international footballer to play in the Croatian top-tier league Prva HNL after completing a move from ATK Mohun Bagan to HNK Sibenik.
Named India's footballer of the year last month, the 28-year-old is already in Croatia and watched Sunday's home win against Hrvatski Dragovoljac.
"We expect good things from him as we have followed him on different platforms where we were able to see his past performances," said Francisco Cardona, CEO of HNK Sibenik.
"Although we know the adaptation process might take him a few weeks, we are confident that with his quality and leadership, he will become an important member of the team.
"He made a very good impression on the staff and fans of the club when he was watching the last home game from the stands. He showed passion and energy for the team," Cardona added.
Jhingan was excited to have the opportunity to move to HNK Sibenik in the Prva HNL in Croatia.
"I think I am at a stage of my career where I really want to test myself in the highest-level possible and I think this is the perfect platform for me. As I have said, it has been my desire to play in Europe and I have taken up this challenge upon myself," the top defender said.
"A big thank you to the head coach Mario Rosas and the owners and management for giving me the opportunity to come here. I cannot wait to get going and look forward to giving 100 percent at every given opportunity," Jhingan added.
Founded on December 1, 1932, HNK Sibenik returned to the premier division last season under a new management. The club finished sixth in the league, just two positions below qualification to European competitions.
The club is located in Sibenik, the Dalmatian region of Croatia, a city with breath-taking fortresses protecting it for centuries and a beautiful Cathedral of St. James, included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
"We are very happy that Sandesh is with us. We know he will help us achieve the goals that we have set for ourselves during the season. His stint here will help him grow as a player and person,' said HNK Sibenik coach Mario Rosas.
The Spanish coach was all praise for Jhingan's decision to move out of his comfort zone.
"We hope that he will continue to be an example for Indian footballers. He has demonstrated his ambition and competitiveness by wanting to get out of his comfort zone and show what Indian footballers are capable of," said Rosas.
Jhingan started his youth career at St. Stephen's Football Academy in Chandigarh and got a break in the top division with United Sikkim in 2011.
Sandesh, as a young 21-year-old footballer first broke into prominence during the inaugural edition of the Indian Super League (ISL) when he was adjudged the Emerging Player of the League in 2014. A feat that helped him earn a place in the senior India national team making his debut in 2015 against Nepal at the FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifiers.
The defender has two ISL runners-up medals with Kerala Blasters FC where he spent six years and moved to ATK Mohun Bagan in 2020 after missing the previous season due to injury.
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EC revises protocol on storage of symbol loading units after SC order
New Delhi (PTI): The Election Commission has come out with a new protocol for handling and storage of symbol loading units following the directions of the Supreme Court which had ordered that the machines should be sealed and secured in a container and stored in a strongroom along with the EVMs at least for 45 days post the declaration of results.
In a statement on Wednesday, the poll authority said all state chief electoral officers have been directed to create necessary infrastructure and provisions to implement the new protocols for handling and storage of the symbol loading units (SLUs).
"As mandated by the Supreme Court, the revised protocols are applicable in all cases of completion of the symbol loading process in the VVPATs undertaken on or after May 1, 2024," the Commission said.
The top court had on Friday last issued directions to seal and store symbol loading units and also paved the way for verification of micro-controllers embedded in the electronic voting machines (EVMs) on the request of the candidates who stand second and third in the elections.
The SLU uploads the name and symbol of the candidates contesting on a particular seat on VVPAT or paper trail machines.
So far, the EVMs and VVPAT slips were stored for 45 days post results. In these 45 days following the declaration of an election result, people can file an election petition in the concerned high court challenging the election. The EVM and VVPAT slips can be called by the court while hearing the plea.
Before the Supreme Court order, the SLUs were handed over to local poll officials by the engineers of BEL or ECIL.
A day after the poll, the SLUs were returned to the engineers of the two public sector units who manufacture the ballot unit, the control unit and the VVPAT along with SLUs.
A few years ago, a feature was added which helped the candidates or their representatives see the symbol loading process on a TV monitor. The feature was added to enhance transparency.
