NEW DELH: A day after the Union Cabinet approved the signing of guarantees for the hosting of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup India 2022, the Supreme Court stated Thursday that putting a process in place for elections to the All India Football Federation was its immediate priority.
Reason: A FIFA ban, on account of delayed elections to the AIFF, may result in the prestigious global tournament being shifted out of India. The tournament is to be held in three venues from October 11 to 30.
A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Surya Kant said it will hear on August 3 the modalities for holding the elections, days after the final draft constitution of AIFF prepared by the Committee of Administrators (CoA) was submitted to the apex court for approval.
PTI quotes the bench as having stated: “We are putting you on guard that we will not be able to devote the amount of time to finalise the entirety of the constitution. We will go by the suggestions that some directions may be issued for holding of the elections. Put a body in place and conduct the tournament in October.
“When we are laying out the modalities of the elections, we will also lay down modalities for fixing the electoral college.”
During the hearing today, senior advocate Rahul Mehra, the petitioner in person, submitted that neither the court nor the AIFF should be rushed into the decision making process regarding the constitution.
Mehra suggested an alternative mechanism in that an interim election be held for a body that would be tasked with overseeing the delivery of the U-17 Women’s World Cup.
“I am a patriot and don’t want to be a spoilsport when the Prime Minister is going to be in that event. If an interim mechanism can be worked out….,” PTI quotes Mehra as having said.
The top court had on July 21 endorsed the need to expedite the elections to the AIFF and directed that the objections which have been raised to the draft constitution as proposed by the CoA will be considered expeditiously by it.
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