PANJIM: The Delhi High Court on Thursday issued a stay on the elections of All India Football Federation executive committee, which was scheduled on December 21, till January 20 next year, which is the date of the next hearing.
Rahul Mehra in his public interest litigation to the Delhi High Court urged that the elections in various national sport federations are to be conducted as per Model Election Guidelines laid down in the Sports Code of India.
Taking into consideration Mehra’s plea, the Delhi High Court also directed Sports Ministry to ensure elections are conducted immediately in all NSFs wherever due, such as Archery Association of India and Indian Olympics Association.
Speaking to Herald Mehra stated that “The court has stayed the elections till the next date of hearing which is on January 20 and have asked the AIFF to come before the court and place their stand on the elections.”
Talking about the violation of sports code by the AIFF, Mehra informed, “In my PIL to the court I have highlighted that the federation have violated the sports code wherein a letter issued by Vice President Subrata Dutta says that the entire executive body be elected unanimously. Also as per the sports code, the nomination has to be supported by two associations including self but the federation has specified as five as per their constitution which is against the code.”
“I have urged the court to withhold the elections and the court agreed to do so,” he further added.
“The court also directed that the elections in other federations which were overdue (like the Archery Association in November and the IOA elections and all other federations) must be conducted immediately under the sports code,” he said
Speaking further, he informed, “The Ministry of Sports has been told to ensure that the elections conducted by all the national sports federations are adhering to the model election guidelines of the sports code.”
“In case of conflicts between the sports code and the constitution, the sports code provision shall prevail over that,” Mehra mentioned.
Goa Football Association President Elvis Gomes speaking to Herald about the elections being withheld said, “Whatever we have alleged against AIFF earlier for violating the sports code has been proved to be correct. And thus, the Delhi High Court has stayed the AIFF elections till further notice.”
Earlier, in a letter addressed to Justice B.C. Kandpal (Retired), the GFA, a member association of AIFF, had stated that there was a breach in AIFF statutes with regards to AIFF Executive Committee Elections scheduled for December 21.
Wherein the General Secretary Welvin Menezes noted that according to the Article 23.2 of AIFF Constitution the Electoral College has not been sent to the member associations at least 30 days in advance as mandated. But the notice was sent on November 25, 2016 when the Annual General Meeting is scheduled for December 21, 2016.
Elvis Gomes, earlier made it clear that GFA had already set its candidate for the AIFF membership but the federation manipulated the election process is such a manner that is prevented Goa from filing their nomination when the last day for filing of nominations was December 5.
He had also alleged that the federation has gone against the sports code by specifying five associations for nominations as against two, as per the code.
