NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday, while decliningd to interfere with a Delhi High Court order, which placed Hockey India under a three-member Committee of Administrators, asked the CoA to take steps in connection with modifying the constitution, so that executive body elections could be expedited.
A Bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and J.B. Pardiwala said the High Court order should not be interfered with. It noted that an FIR has been registered by the CBI against several office-bearers of Hockey India.
The top court noted that the International Hockey Federation has communicated with the CoA stating that a democratically elected executive board of Hockey India is mandatory to oversee the upcoming Men’s Hockey World Cup, scheduled in January 2023 in Bhubaneswar, IANS reports.
The Bench said it is important that the CoA actively engages with the FIH and expedite the process of amending the constitution to bring it in conformity with the High Court’s order and the National Sports Code, and also that the elections are held expeditiously.
It said this will allow the newly-elected executive committee to make arrangements for the World Cup.
IANS further reports that it was in May this year that the High Court passed the order on a plea by former India player Aslam Sher Khan, challenging Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Narinder Batra’s appointment as life member of Hockey India.
The High Court held that Batra’s appointment, as too that of Elena Norman as CEO, were illegal. Citing an apex court ruling, the High Court constituted a committee, headed by former Supreme Court Judge A.R. Dave, former Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi, and ex-Indian hockey team captain Zafar Iqbal as members.
Related Report
‘Unacceptable’: FIH on HI CoA’s 20-week turnaround time for polls
