Delhi High Court stays IOA decision for ad-hoc panel to run Boxing Federation's affairs

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday stayed a decision of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to constitute an ad-hoc panel to run the affairs of the Boxing Federation of India.

Justice Sachin Datta issued notice to the IOA seeking its response to a petition filed by the federation challenging the decision of constituting the ad-hoc committee.

The court granted two weeks' time to the IOA to file its reply to the petition and posted the hearing on March 27.

The interim order came while taking into account the judgement of the high court in Bihar Olympic Association's case in which the IOA's decision to constitute an ad-hoc panel to examine the affairs of state body was set aside.

In its judgment in the Bihar Olympic Association's case, the high court held that the president of IOA did not have the power to unilaterally take over the affairs of a state association and a proposal to appoint an ad-hoc body was its general assembly's.

The counsel for the boxing federation said the ad-hoc committee was appointed for managing the affairs of the federation and the February 24 order was passed unilaterally without giving prior notice which is a clear violation of principles of natural justice.

He said the IOA president did not have the power to constitute the ad-hoc committee.

The IOA counsel said a meeting was scheduled on March 7 between the its president and officials of the Boxing Federation of India for reaching an amicable resolution in the matter.

On February 24, IOA formed a five-member ad-hoc committee to oversee affairs, citing the federation's failure to conduct elections on time.

In its February 24 judgment, the high court set aside the January 1 order of IOA president P T Usha constituting an ad-hoc committee to look after the affairs of Bihar Olympic Association.

The court directed the petitioner to hold its elections within three months, failing which, the IOA was free to take appropriate disciplinary action.

Bihar Olympic Association challenged the decision on several grounds, including the argument that the constitution of the ad-hoc committee was done unilaterally by the president, against the rules and regulations of the Indian Olympic Association.