Sports Code: Delhi HC puts stay on Gymnastics Federation of India election
NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has stayed the upcoming election of the office bearers and members of the executive committee of the Gymnastics Federation of India (GFI) over non-compliance with the sports code among other issues.
In the order, Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav noted that the sports body had not followed the Sports Code and the relevant judicial directions while stopping the election scheduled to be held on Friday (September 29).
"Unless the matter is fully heard by this court, at this stage, there is a serious doubt about the compliance of the mandate of the Sports Code and the directions passed..." the order said.
On August 16, 2022, a division bench ordered that the Indian Olympic Association and National Sports Federation have to necessarily comply with the mandate stated under the National Sports Development Code of India, 2011.
Dealing with the plea by petitioner one Padmaja Garikipati, the court said, “Unless the respondents satisfy that they are in full compliance of the Sports Code and the directions dated 16.08.2022 in W.P.(C) 195/2010, they cannot be allowed to conduct any fresh election contrary to the said binding orders.”
Posting the matter for further hearing on October 12, the high court put a stay till then.
"Accordingly, it is directed that there shall be a stay of the impugned notice dated 07.07.2022 regarding the election of the office bearers and members of the executive committee of respondent no. 2-GFI till the next date of hearing," the high court ordered.
As per the petitioner, she is a practicing Ophthalmologist and also a judge for Gymnastics, certified FIG International Judges Brevet, and has been the coach-cum-manager of her gymnast daughter for national and international competitions.
Her counsel submitted that in an order passed on August 16, 2022, a division bench of the high court specifically directed that the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and National Sports Federations (NSFs) have to necessarily comply with the National Sports Development Code of India, 2011 and GFI was in non-compliance of this mandate.
The lawyer said the division bench clarified on September 1 that for all elections the Centre has to ensure strict compliance of the 2022 order.
The GFI opposed the plea, saying the court’s earlier directions have been complied with in their letter and spirit but some of them are not applicable to NSFs like itself, and the issue is already pending in the Supreme Court.
Centre supported the submissions of GFI during the hearings and said the Returning Officer, a former judge of the High Court of Madras, has exhaustively considered all relevant aspects and has come to the conclusion that there was no impediment in conducting the election.