THE DELHI HIGH COURT has directed the All India Tennis Association (AITA) to expedite amendments to its constitution and conduct fresh elections under the revised framework by September 30, 2026, in a significant move aimed at bringing India’s tennis governing body into compliance with the new sports governance regime and safeguarding its standing with international authorities.
The court’s intervention follows concerns raised by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) regarding AITA’s governance structure and compliance with India’s recently enacted National Sports Governance Act, 2025.
In an interim order, the Division Bench directed that the entire reform process, including constitutional amendments, ratification by members, and elections of a new executive committee, must be completed on or before September 30, 2026.
The court ordered the AITA’s court-appointed administrator, former Chief Justice Gita Mittal, to finalize proposed amendments to the federation’s constitution and by-laws in accordance with the National Sports Governance Act. An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) is to be convened by July 31, where affiliated state associations will deliberate on and vote on the amendments clause by clause.
A key aspect of the ruling is the High Court’s reaffirmation that AITA’s General Body remains the supreme decision-making authority on constitutional changes. The court rejected the notion that constitutional reforms could be imposed unilaterally and instead directed that every proposed amendment be debated and voted upon by member associations.
The Bench also instructed that reasons for acceptance, modification, or rejection of each amendment be formally recorded in meeting minutes, ensuring transparency in the reform process.
The latest order stems from a long-running legal dispute over AITA’s governance and elections.
In April 2026, the Delhi High Court allowed the results of the federation’s September 2024 elections to be declared but ruled that the elected executive committee would function only as an interim body. The court held that AITA’s existing structure did not conform to the requirements of the National Sports Governance Act, 2025, necessitating fresh elections under a revised constitution.
As part of that order, Justice Gita Mittal was appointed administrator to oversee reforms and ensure compliance with the new law. The court’s latest push was influenced by correspondence from the ITF, which sought clarity regarding AITA’s governance status and the impact of the High Court’s earlier orders.
