NEW DELHI: Even as Badminton Association of India president Himanta Biswa Sarma, attended a meeting of the 2nd South Asian Regional Badminton Federation (SABF) in the capital on Tuesday, a PIL was filed in the Supreme Court seeking removal of the Assam finance, education and health minister as BAI chief.
Through his PIL, Kamlesh Verma, a resident of Delhi, has sought Sarma’s removal, alleging that the ruling party power broker’s appointment to BAI’s top post violated the Supreme Court’s order that a minister or a public servant cannot be posted as an office-bearer of a sports body.
About the SABF meeting, Sarma had tweeted: “Attending 2nd South Asian Regional Badminton Federation (SABF) today at Delhi with participation from 7 countries.”
As per the PIL, Sarma’s appointment as president of BAI and also his continuance was “in violation of Rule of Law and completely arbitrary, and therefore, in violation of Article 14 of the Constitution”.
The PIL also drew the attention of the apex court that Sarma, against whom there are “corruption charges”, had been “summoned by the CBI and his house was also raided by the CBI” in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam.
Referring to the case of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in 2016, the PIL also sought the Supreme Court’s directive for appointing a committee of administrators to “look after all the affairs of the BAI for the welfare of the players, transparent financial management and good administration”.
Sarma, a prominent BJP leader in the North-East, was appointed BAI president on April 23 last year after its then president Akhilesh Das Gupta died during his tenure.
