In an interesting development, the Delhi High Court has stayed the All India Football Federation (AIFF) elections for non-adherence to the Sports Code, reported The Times of India. The court was hearing a general public interest litigation (PIL) on sports in India on Thursday filed by petitioner Rahul Mehra, a sports activist. Mehra showed the Delhi High Court how the AIFF had violated several provisions of the Sports Code during the electoral process. The Court took notice and stayed the elections till the next hearing on January 20 next year.
“I had got information that various sports bodies are going to polls clandestinely and violating all norms. The matter regarding the Indian Olympic Association, AIFF and Archery Association of India was placed before the court. Since the AIFF elections were already under process, it has now been stayed till the next date of hearing, while the IOA and archery association must conduct elections immediately,” said Mehra.
The AIFF had already completed the election process with all 17 members, including the president and treasurer being elected unopposed, according to a letter by general secretary Kushal Das to all state associations. According to Mehra, the Sports Code makes it clear that each candidate must be nominated by one member association and seconded by another member but in the AIFF electoral process, each candidate has to be nominated by five member associations.
“This is an undemocratic clause where you are ousting a person even before he has filed his nomination,” said Mehra. “The AIFF has turned this into a farcical and undemocratic election,” said Mehra.
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