Supreme Court gives nod to hockey election

Indian hockey teams might not be able to participate in the Commonwealth Games and other upcoming international events,” said Malhotra.

While the hearing was still on, the sport ministry decided to call all the parties to an emergency meeting to diffuse the crisis. The meeting, held by the sports secretary, was attended by IHF presnational events if HI was derecognised.

The court order provides a ray of hope to the Indian women’s team for their participation in the World Cup, starting in Rosario, Argentina, on August 29.

IOA counsel Indu Malhotra said it is imperative that election to the HI board is held by July 31.

“ If the body is de- recognised, nod to hockey election The Supreme Court on Friday allowed Hockey India ( HI) to hold the election to its executive board.

A bench comprising Justice Altamas Kabir and Justice A K Patnaik stayed orders by the Bombay and Delhi High Courts which had restrained it from conducting the election which was scheduled for July 28.

The HI rushed to the apex court for relief because it feared de- recognition by the International Hockey Federation ( FIH), which had set a deadline of July 31 for the election.

In view of urgency of the matter, the court allowed HI to conduct the election but restrained it from implementing the result till further orders.

The court decided to give a goahead to the election after the Indian Olympic Association ( IOA) stressed that HI at present was the only body affiliated to the FIH and Indian hockey teams – both men and women – would not be able to participate in interident KPS Gill, HI secretary general Narinder Batra, IOA secretary general Randhir Singh and former Indian Women’s Hockey Federation secretary Amrit Bose.

While the Delhi High Court had on July 27 stayed the HI election on a plea by IHF, the Bombay High Court order on July 28 came following a dispute between HI constituents in Maharashtra.

Senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for HI, stated that there was no direct clash between IHF and HI but the election was stayed after the government failed to issue a clarification as per the directions of the Delhi High Court.

He said the government had derecognised IHF after its FIH affiliation was cancelled. On a petition by IHF, the High Court, however, set aside the government order cancelling recognition.

Though IHF was not affiliated to FIH, it claimed that it was the only body recognised in India and sought a declaration by the government that HI was not recognised.

“ The government can recognise only one body,” the IHF counsel said.

The Delhi High Court had stated that HI could hold elections only after the government issued a clarification that only IHF was recognised. HI, which was formed in 2009, was recognised by both FIH and the government, Rohatgi claimed. He said the Bombay High Court had stayed the election after a faction in one of its constituents challenged the election at the last moment.

After the interim order, the apex court decided to dispose of the matter expeditiously and posted it for hearing on August 19.HI is now gearing up to hold the election as soon as possible.

“ We will decide on the date in a day or two. Some of the delegates who had come to the Capital for the election on July 28 are still here while others have gone back,” HI executive board member Rajeev Mehta informed us. “ We can hold the election within a week as we don’t need to give a 21- day notice,” he added.