High Court asks ministry to form panel

Court orders formation of transitory committee with representation from all stakeholders to oversee archery
Image used for representational purpose
Image used for representational purpose

NEW DELHI: A day after World Archery suspended Archery Association of India, the Delhi High Court has ordered for a transitory committee to be formed to protect the interest of Indian archers as well as to help AAI regain its good standing with WA.

WA’s order on Thursday had mentioned forming such a body with representatives of all stakeholders — Indian Olympic Association, Sports Ministry as well as both factions of AAI. A special bench of Delhi High Court comprising of Justice Murlidhar & Justice Waziri, while hearing Rahul Mehra’s PIL, directed the formation of such a body. It has to be constituted latest by August 23 and the committee is scheduled to hold its first meeting on the next day.

In a bid to avoid controversy and maintain decorum, the committee of five members will be headed by Retired Chief Justice of Jammu & Kashmir High Court Justice BD Ahmad. The sports secretary will be tasked with constituting the group and it will continue to run matters till a fresh election is held pursuant to reforms adopted by AAI.

Reforms with regards to the National Sports Development Code, 2011 as well as Justice Lodha recommendations are next on the agenda for the court and the special bench will reconvene on September 6. Only then will talks regarding fresh elections take place. Both the IOA and AAI wanted the court to order for immediate fresh elections but Mehra objected to it.

“Bringing in reforms is important as otherwise, the same scenario will keep on repeating itself. I reasoned with the court to find a permanent solution to the problem,” Mehra said.

It will be interesting to see how the body functions, especially with fractured relations between both factions as well as between IOA and the BVP Rao-led faction. As IOA had already sided with the Arjun Munda-faction in the dispute, the stand taken by their representative over key questions will be scrutinised. According to sources, talks should start progressing from Monday.

Recurve trials done

Selection trials in the recurve category for Asia Cup in September and Asian Archery Championships (Olympic qualifying event) in November got over on Friday. A total of 12 archers were shortlisted for the national camp with most archers being told that the top four will be going for the Asian Championships while the next four will get the nod for the Asia Cup. Trials in the compound category will start on Saturday.

Asian C’ships
Men: Tarundeep Rai, Atanu Das, Atul Verma, B Dhiraj
Women: Deepika Kumari, Sangeeta, Ankita Bhakat, Simranjeet Kaur

Asia Cup
Men: Pravin Jadhav, Jayanta Talukdar, Jagdish Choudhary, Sukhmini Babrekar
Women: Promila Daimary, Himani, Suparna Singh,L Bombayla Devi

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