ELECTIONS across all National Sports Federations (NSFs) will be postponed by one year to “ensure the smooth implementation of the newly introduced National Sports Governance (NSG) Act”.
The decision will also affect the All India Football Federation as the current executive committee, led by AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey, and widely blamed for the more than sorry state of the game in the country, will continue in office during the extended period.
In a letter issued on Monday to the president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and all NSFs, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports informed stakeholders that elections scheduled over the coming months will now be deferred until 31 December 2026. The ministry described the move as a transitional measure, giving federations adequate time to align their governance structures with the provisions of the NSG Act.
As a result, the AIFF elections will take place in 2027, subject to approval by the federation’s general body. AIFF elections were originally slated for September 2026, marking the completion of the committee’s four-year term. Chaubey also currently serves as a joint secretary of the IOA.
“In order to ensure a smooth transition under the new governance framework and to provide sufficient time for NSFs to comply with the statutory requirements of the NSG Act, 2025, it has been decided to allow deferment of elections till December 31, 2026, except in cases where courts have issued specific directions,” said Harikumar M, Director (Sports) in the ministry.
The NSG Act seeks to establish a more robust and transparent electoral process while bringing uniformity to the constitutions and bye-laws of all sports federations. These reforms are viewed as a crucial step as India prepares its proposed bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games.
Under the new law, federations will be required to restructure their general bodies and internal governance systems to achieve full compliance. After reviewing upcoming election timelines, the ministry concluded that the reforms envisaged under the Act are structural and far-reaching, making implementation within existing schedules impractical.
During the deferment period, current executive committees will remain in charge, with the tenure of office-bearers extended until the revised election deadline, subject to approval by their respective general bodies.
