CHENNAI: The sports ministry and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) can breathe a sigh of relief. On Thursday, the Supreme Court clarified that the centre did not need the prior permission of the Delhi High Court before granting recognitions for the various National Sports Federations (NSFs).
According to the SC order: “Para 6 of the order dated 7 February 2020 does not embody the requirement of taking the consent of the High Court. Perhaps this aspect has missed the attention of the High Court in the subsequent order dated 24 June 2020. It erroneously read the requirement of obtaining its consent in the earlier order.”
The order further stated, “Once a decision is taken by the appropriate authority, which is apprised to the High Court, any person aggrieved by the decision, would be at liberty to pursue the remedies available. Since the writ petition is pending before the High Court since 2010, we request the High Court to take it up for expeditious disposal so that the controversy can be settled."
The matter is up for hearing in the Delhi High Court on Friday. In a February order the HC had asked the ministry and IOA to inform the court before taking any decision on the NSFs.
“The Court further directs that both the IOA and MYAS will, hereafter while seeking to take any decision in relation to the NSFs, inform the Court in advance,” said the court in the February order.
This is significant because if the sports ministry can grant recognition for the various NSFs, it will help the athletes who are training for the Olympics.
However, pertaining to whether 2011 National Sports Development Code of India is followed by each of the NSFs can be discussed in the HC. Fifty seven NSFs were derecognised after the Delhi HC passed an order in June.