New Delhi: Indian Olympic Association(IOA) AGM will be held in the national capital on Sunday and not in Guwahati as originally proposed IOAElection notification issued in mid-November, Delhi High Court ruled on Friday.
This will come as a setback for the ruling government led by President Narinder Dhruv Batra, who along with his group of loyalists wanted to convene an AGM in the Assam capital.
A two-judge special bench of Justice Manmohan and Justice Najmi Waziri also directed the AGM to take up only matters relating to sports reforms in the IOA and nothing on elections. The bench appointed a retired judge to oversee the conduct of the AGM and told the parties concerned that the meeting is to be held at the IOA building in Delhi. The bench will hear the matter further on December 23.
Earlier, the court in its order dated November 30 had directed an interim stay on the IOA’s election and has maintained status quo since then. The four-year term of the current IOA office-bearers ended on December 14. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has directed the sports body to hold its elections by January 2022.
Lawyer and sports activist Rahul Mehra, who have challenged the conduct of ioa election Stating that the electoral process in violation of the National Sports Code is “totally illegal and unsustainable”, the court told TOI on Friday that they have suggested the formation of a three-member committee to run the affairs of the IOA.
“Today, during the hearing, I requested the bench to appoint a committee of administrators who can handle the IOA till the elections are held. The bench said it would think about the committee. Then the bench asked me ‘who do you all think should be in the committee?’. To which I replied (that) it should include former sports secretary Injeti Srinivas, (Olympic champion shooter) Abhinav Bindra and some retired Supreme Court/High Court judge whom you (the bench) have faith in,’ Mehra said.
AGM is expected to be a stormy affair with supporters of both Batra and IOA Secretary General Rajeev Mehta Trying to accuse each other of misgovernance and financial irregularities. There is a possibility that the IOA may bring some changes in its constitution, including removing the restrictive clauses and aligning it with the Sports Code.
As per the current IOA constitution, National Sports Federations (NSFs) have three votes, State Olympic Associations two and Union Territories one vote each. Some changes may be proposed in the Electoral College in the meeting.
All amendments/ratifications to the IOA constitution will have to be pre-approved by the IOC before its adoption as a whole.
This will come as a setback for the ruling government led by President Narinder Dhruv Batra, who along with his group of loyalists wanted to convene an AGM in the Assam capital.
A two-judge special bench of Justice Manmohan and Justice Najmi Waziri also directed the AGM to take up only matters relating to sports reforms in the IOA and nothing on elections. The bench appointed a retired judge to oversee the conduct of the AGM and told the parties concerned that the meeting is to be held at the IOA building in Delhi. The bench will hear the matter further on December 23.
Earlier, the court in its order dated November 30 had directed an interim stay on the IOA’s election and has maintained status quo since then. The four-year term of the current IOA office-bearers ended on December 14. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has directed the sports body to hold its elections by January 2022.
Lawyer and sports activist Rahul Mehra, who have challenged the conduct of ioa election Stating that the electoral process in violation of the National Sports Code is “totally illegal and unsustainable”, the court told TOI on Friday that they have suggested the formation of a three-member committee to run the affairs of the IOA.
“Today, during the hearing, I requested the bench to appoint a committee of administrators who can handle the IOA till the elections are held. The bench said it would think about the committee. Then the bench asked me ‘who do you all think should be in the committee?’. To which I replied (that) it should include former sports secretary Injeti Srinivas, (Olympic champion shooter) Abhinav Bindra and some retired Supreme Court/High Court judge whom you (the bench) have faith in,’ Mehra said.
AGM is expected to be a stormy affair with supporters of both Batra and IOA Secretary General Rajeev Mehta Trying to accuse each other of misgovernance and financial irregularities. There is a possibility that the IOA may bring some changes in its constitution, including removing the restrictive clauses and aligning it with the Sports Code.
As per the current IOA constitution, National Sports Federations (NSFs) have three votes, State Olympic Associations two and Union Territories one vote each. Some changes may be proposed in the Electoral College in the meeting.
All amendments/ratifications to the IOA constitution will have to be pre-approved by the IOC before its adoption as a whole.
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