The Delhi High Court on Tuesday declined to stay the upcoming elections for the All India Tennis Association (AITA), scheduled for September 28, but it did prohibit the publication of the election results.
Tennis players Somdev Devvarman and Purav Raja filed a legal challenge against the elections, arguing that the AITA was proceeding in violation of the National Sports Development Code and prior court directions concerning National Sports Federations. They contended that allowing the AITA to conduct the elections without adhering to the code would undermine their petition and cause significant harm.
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav emphasized the importance of proper preparation for elections, stating, “If the election process defies the directions, then the authorities will restrain the office bearers from functioning.” We may then consider appointing someone as an ad hoc administrator… That election will be set aside. Let them [AITA] proceed with the polls. You can always set aside elections.”
Senior advocate Rahul Mehra, representing Devvarman and Raja, expressed concerns that the AITA was conducting the elections “clandestinely,” noting that the official website lacked information about the process.
Justice Kaurav ruled that any election results would be subject to the outcome of Devvarman and Raja’s petition, stating, “Place the result of the election… do not publish the result of the elections.” He called for responses from the Union Sports Ministry and the AITA, scheduling the next hearing for October 14.
The petitioners alleged that the Union Sports Ministry instructed the AITA to comply with the code without verifying whether the association had indeed followed it. They accused the ministry of ignoring numerous violations and sought the appointment of a retired Supreme Court or High Court judge as an administrator for the AITA. Devvarman and Raja also requested that the AITA’s executive committee hand over all affairs and financial records to the court-appointed administrator.
The legal team representing Devvarman and Raja includes advocates R Arunadhri Iyer, Jhanvi Dubey, and Vaibhav Gulia. As the situation unfolds, the focus remains on ensuring transparency and compliance within the AITA’s electoral process.
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