NEW DELHI: The terms of Praful Patel and the rest of the All India Football Federation executive committee members is expected to extend beyond December after the AIFF filed an application in the Supreme Court to allow its EC to continue in office until a pending case is adjudicated.
In this regard they already have the “happy” precedent set by the apex court in the case of the head honchos of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, who are well ensconced in their respective positions despite their terms having ended. Why? the Supreme Court is yet to find the time to adjudicate on the matter.
Coming back to the AIFF, the four-year term of the current executive committee, led by Patel, ends on December 21.
Patel, who has been AIFF president since 2012, will not be able to seek a third consecutive term due to the existing guidelines. But he could stay on for an indefinite period after the AIFF requested for an extension until the elections, which will be held after the court approves the new constitution, Indian Express reports.
In this regard AIFF general secretary Kushal wrote a letter to the presidents and secretaries of all affiliated units on Monday, which reads: “The Federation has approached the Hon’ble Supreme Court vide an application filed on 21st November, 2020 for seeking the following prayers: 1. Allow the Executive Committee elected on 21st December, 2016 in its Annual General Body Meeting to continue to hold office till a new Executive Committee is formed pursuant to an Election conducted in accordance with the new Constitution and may be approved by the Hon’ble Court and/or; 2. Pass such order/orders as the Hon’ble Court may deem fit and proper in the fact and circumstances of the present case.”
Three years ago, the Supreme Court had mandated former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi to form a new constitution for the AIFF, after the Delhi High Court had set aside Patel’s election in 2016. The Delhi High Court had observed that the National Sports Development Code of 2011 was not followed while conducting those elections.
It is worth noting that in October 2017, the Delhi High Court had annulled the AIFF’s election process, stating that it was held without following the National Sports Code. The Supreme Court, shortly after, stayed the decision of the High Court but appointed a two-man committee to formulate a new AIFF constitution within eight weeks and then conduct elections. However, the court allowed the executive committee members to discharge their duties till then.
Former Indian goalkeeper and captain, Bhaskar Ganguly, and former Chief Election Commissioner of India, SY Qureshi, were the members of the court-appointed committee. However, the committee has not been able to come up with a new constitution as per the court order and has applied for an extension of the deadline numerous times, most recently on 7 February 2020.
No prizes for guessing that the committee, comprising former Chief Election Commissioner of India, SY Qureshi and former Indian goalkeeper and captain Bhaskar Ganguly, has not been able to come up with a new constitution as per the court order. As Goal.com notes, the committee has applied for an extension of the deadline numerous times, most recently on 7 February.
Under these circumstances, Patel has far more valid argument to continue in office than BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and Indian cricket board secretary Jay Shah. Why so? That’s an argument best left for a cricket-related report.
