The Supreme Court last week stayed the Delhi High Court’s order setting aside the elections held by the All India Football Federation (AIFF)..A Bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud passed the order in a petition by the AIFF..The Delhi High Court had set aside the election of Praful Patel as President of the AIFF, and the same was challenged in the Supreme Court..Senior Advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Amarendra Sharan, assisted by Karanjawala & Co Partner Debmalya Banerjee, appeared and argued on behalf of the petitioners..In his submissions, Singhvi contended that the elections held were legal and in consonance with the Constitution of the federation. He also submitted that the Constitution of the AIFF is in tune with the FIFA statute..Advocate Rahul Mehra, who appeared in person as a respondent, rejected the contentions of Singhvi and submitted that AIFF is infested with people having a political agenda. He also suggested names of football players who could help in forming a new Constitution for the federation..After hearing the parties, the Court held,.“Considering the rival submissions, we are inclined to stay the operation of the impugned judgment and, in particular, the directions given by the High Court in paragraph 22 of the impugned judgment.”.The Court has also appointed former Indian Football Team Captain Bhaskar Ganguly and former Chief Election Commissioner of India SY Qureshi as Ombudsmen in charge of formulating the Draft Constitution for the federation and other guidelines for the conduct of its business..It has directed that the Draft Constitution be prepared and submitted (in a sealed cover) within a time span of eight weeks. The AIFF undertook to co-operate with the the Committee of Administrators for formulation of the proposed Constitution..The Court has posted the matter for ten weeks..Read the order:
The Supreme Court last week stayed the Delhi High Court’s order setting aside the elections held by the All India Football Federation (AIFF)..A Bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud passed the order in a petition by the AIFF..The Delhi High Court had set aside the election of Praful Patel as President of the AIFF, and the same was challenged in the Supreme Court..Senior Advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Amarendra Sharan, assisted by Karanjawala & Co Partner Debmalya Banerjee, appeared and argued on behalf of the petitioners..In his submissions, Singhvi contended that the elections held were legal and in consonance with the Constitution of the federation. He also submitted that the Constitution of the AIFF is in tune with the FIFA statute..Advocate Rahul Mehra, who appeared in person as a respondent, rejected the contentions of Singhvi and submitted that AIFF is infested with people having a political agenda. He also suggested names of football players who could help in forming a new Constitution for the federation..After hearing the parties, the Court held,.“Considering the rival submissions, we are inclined to stay the operation of the impugned judgment and, in particular, the directions given by the High Court in paragraph 22 of the impugned judgment.”.The Court has also appointed former Indian Football Team Captain Bhaskar Ganguly and former Chief Election Commissioner of India SY Qureshi as Ombudsmen in charge of formulating the Draft Constitution for the federation and other guidelines for the conduct of its business..It has directed that the Draft Constitution be prepared and submitted (in a sealed cover) within a time span of eight weeks. The AIFF undertook to co-operate with the the Committee of Administrators for formulation of the proposed Constitution..The Court has posted the matter for ten weeks..Read the order:
