CHENNAI: The Indian Olympic Association has called for a meeting on May 5 to discuss objections and suggestions that could be incorporated or altered in the newly-drafted IOA constitution. This was necessitated after the Supreme Court, in its April 5 order, had called upon the IOA to file objections or suggestions, if any, so that the constitution can be finalized once and for all. The special leave petition, filed by the IOA, was heard by a bench comprising of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justice JB Padiwala.
“Since the constitution for the Indian Olympic Association has been duly drafted by Mr Justice L Nageswara Rao, a former Judge of this Court, it would be necessary for this Court to put finality on the matter. In the meantime, if any party seeks to file any objections or suggestions on the draft, this shall be done within a period of three weeks and shall be circulated between the parties,” said the order. The meeting will be an open house that will include executive council members and other state associations.
What seems baffling is that the same IOA that had conducted its election under the new constitution now wants certain clauses or points to be altered. The IOA has been under pressure from the International Olympic Committee to employ a Chief Executive Officer, but has not been able to do so. It even said that it needed to alter some eligibility criteria to attract more applications. As of now they have an acting CEO, but the IOC has been quite categorical that they employ a CEO.
The IOA also had been under pressure from the State Olympic Associations who don’t have voting rights in the IOA general assembly. The state units had objected to this and even during the last general body meeting, they had raised their concern and said voting rights should be restored to them, at least one per unit. It needs to be seen if this would be one point that will be suggested to the court.
While finalizing the dates of IOA elections last year, the Supreme Court had said that the constitution should not be altered and also that, “No other court shall entertain any petition relating to the amendment of the constitution of the IOA or to the election to the Executive Committee of the IOA. All objections shall be submitted by any person or party before this Court alone.”