Vinayak Padmadeo
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, December 24
Two ‘conflicting affidavits’ from the Sports Ministry in relation to the petition filed by lawyer and activist Rahul Mehra regarding several violations of the Sports Code by the Indian Olympic Association have caught many off-guard.
Those close to IOA president Narinder Batra are wondering whether the development was a signal of the ministry siding with the group led by secretary general Rajeev Mehta.
In the first affidavit filed in the Delhi High Court on November 17, the Ministry said that the “petitioner has not brought out any specific violations on the part of Respondent No.4, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) with regard to National Sports Development Code of India, 2011.”
The affidavit assessed by The Tribune goes on to only suggest that “…in the context of Article 11.1.3 of IOA constitution, which provides that only elected members in any of the preceding five executive council of IOA will be eligible to contest for the post of president and secretary general, and this restriction on nominations has been contented by the petitioner on various occasions, it is felt that this could be suitably opened up to have more eligible candidates for contesting posts”. The same affidavit, signed by SPS Tomar, deputy director in the Ministry, pleads that the election should not be restrained and the Ministry doesn’t favour appointment of an administrator as it may lead to severe sanction from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), including suspension.
However, Tomar (read Sports Ministry) in a second affidavit filed on December 1 points out that the Olympic Charter does not place restrictions on eligibility to contest. “…The answering respondent is of the view that Article 11.1.3 of constitution of IOA is restrictive, and against the democratic principles and that there should not be any restriction on contesting for any post in the executive council of IOA by an eligible member,” the affidavit reads.
Sports secretary Sujata Chaturvedi was unavailable for comments.
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