NEW DELHI :The Supreme Court on Friday said it could appoint an eminent footballer as an ombudsman, apart from former Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi, to implement the Delhi High Court order for reforming the constitution of All India Football Federation (AIFF).
The AIFF had sought an urgent hearing of its appeal challenging a recent Delhi High Court ruling that had set aside the results of AIFF elections held in December 2016 and called for the whole process to be started afresh. A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said it would pass an order on the plea too.
The High Court, on October 31, had also appointed former CEC Quraishi as the administrator-cum-returning officer to conduct fresh polls to the sport body.
The bench said the AIFF can also be asked to frame an amended constitution incorporating the suggestions of the Delhi High Court, just as it has asked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to cooperate in the framing of its constitution.
“We can appoint an eminent footballer as ombudsman along with the former Chief Election Commissioner,” the bench said.
Lawyer Rahul Mehra, who had filed the plea in the High Court, when asked to give suggestions, said the lack of infrastructure at grassroot level and interest shown by the sports authorities to popularise the sport, had pushed India to 105th position in the world.
The AIFF had sought urgent hearing of its plea saying that the bid for hosting the FIFA Under-20 World Cup was coming up and the last date for its submission was November 14. Its contention was that “the High Court in midst of the upcoming football season comprising the Indian Super league and the I- League both starting in the month of November, 2017 and the bidding process for the Fifa Under-20 World Cup 2019 which is to be completed by 14th November 2017, has wrongly ousted the Executive Committee and stopped the smooth functioning of the Petitioner Federation (AIFF).”
The AIFF issued the following statement following Friday’s hearing of the matter by the Supreme Court: “The Special Leave Petition filed by the AIFF was heard by the Hon’ble Supreme Court today. After hearing the arguments the Supreme Court has reserved its judgment. Till the final order is released any report or statement on outcome of the matter is merely speculative. A formal statement will be made by the AIFF upon receipt of the detailed order.”
