New Delhi, Jan 6 (UNI) Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna on Monday recused himself from hearing a batch of pleas concerning the draft constitutions of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the All-India Football Federation (AIFF).
The CJI cited his prior involvement with one of the matters during his tenure as a Delhi High Court Judge.
The bench, comprising CJI Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar, was hearing petitions filed by the IOA and AIFF regarding proposed reforms in their governance structures.
The CJI directed that the case be listed before a bench led by Justice P.S. Narasimha. “To be listed before the bench presided over by Justice P.S. Narasimha,” the Court’s order stated.
The IOA’s petition challenges a Delhi High Court order that had placed its affairs under a Committee of Administrators (CoA), in line with the Supreme Court’s decision in the AIFF vs. Rahul Mehra case.
The AIFF had also sought the Court’s approval of its final draft constitution, following the Supreme Court’s appointment of Justice L. Nageswara Rao in 2023 to oversee the process.
Notably, in September 2022, the Supreme Court appointed Justice Rao, a former Apex Court judge, to spearhead the amendment of the IOA’s constitution, prepare electoral rolls, and conduct elections for its executive body.
The Court had earlier reconstituted the CoA for the AIFF to facilitate elections and ensure a democratically elected body under its constitution.
During the hearing, Senior Advocate Rahul Mehra, representing the petitioners, argued that the two matters were interconnected, as the proposed reforms would have a broader impact on Indian sports governance.
Senior Advocate Maneka Guruswamy, appearing for State Olympic Associations, informed the bench that Parliament is expected to consider the National Sports Governance Bill in March.
Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, serving as amicus curiae, submitted a report along with a chart outlining suggestions for the draft constitutions.
On the previous hearing, the Court had permitted the AIFF to file objections to the draft constitution proposed by Justice Rao.
The Supreme Court has now scheduled the matter for hearing on February 10, where Justice P.S. Narasimha will preside over the proceedings.
