HC refuses to interfere with IOA polls

The Delhi High Court on  Wednesday refused to interfere with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) elections scheduled on Thursday.

A bench of Justices S Ravindra Bhat and Justice Najmi Waziri directed the association not to violate the National Sports Code during the electoral process.

The court's interim order came on advocate and well-known sports activist Rahul Mehra's application seeking an interim stay on the IOA election on the ground that the polls were being held in violation of the sports code.

The bench also clarified that the election process and its result will be subject to the final outcome of the application pending before the court.

It issued notices to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the IOA, asking them to file their responses within four weeks.

The petitioner has alleged that people who are not entitled to contest the polls were part of the process.

While asking for fair elections and other measures such as overhauling of the sports code and bringing about new law and reforms, the advocate has sought direction to restrain IOA from conducting elections of its office bearers and members to the executive council.

Elections will be held for the posts of president, secretary-general, treasurer and senior vice president, eight vice presidents, six joint secretaries, 10 other Executive Council members and one representative for the Athlete Commission.

The elections will be held through secret ballot and the results declared the same day.