Supreme Court sets 20 October as date for hearing pleas on IOA and AIFF's constitutions

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday fixed 20 October for final disposal of the pleas pertaining to finalisation of the constitutions of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and All India Football Federation (AIFF), both framed by former apex court judge Justice L Nageswara Rao. A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and justices PS Narasimha, while hearing two separate clutch of petitions relating to IOA and the AIFF, said it will decide the issues raised about their constitutions on 20 October. “KM Natraj, the Additional Solicitor General, states that all the objections which have been received to the proposed constitution of the IOA have been tabulated and shall be circulated to all the contesting parties,” the bench said. “Any person desiring a copy of the tabulated statement would be at liberty to contact the office of Natraj, Additional Solicitor General so that a soft copy can be provided,” it said. The top court, while dealing with the pleas on AIFF’s constitution, said the report, submitted by Justice Rao, shall be circulated by Gopal Sankarnarayanan, the amicus curiae, the friend of court appointed to assist it in the matter, to all the parties desirous of securing the soft copies. It directed that the objections to the AIFF’s draft constitution be filed within a period of three weeks. “The objections shall be tabulated by Gopal Sankaranarayanan, Amicus Curiae for facilitating the disposal of the petitions. List the Special Leave Petitions on October 20,” it said. Earlier, the top court had extended the time for filing objections to the draft constitution of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). It had also made it clear that the pendency of the pleas related to IOA will not preclude high courts from continuing with the hearing on pending petitions linked to other sports bodies. The top court had earlier directed the Centre to collate the objections put forth by the stake-holders to the draft constitution of the IOA along with suggestions. The draft constitution was adopted at the Special General Body Meeting of IOA in the national capital. The IOA had adopted its draft constitution, framed under the supervision of the Supreme Court and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), but several members said they were forced into adopting it after the apex court made it mandatory. On 2 May, the top court had urged Justice Rao to also prepare a comprehensive report on finalising the AIFF constitution after taking note of the objections to a draft document by various stakeholders including FIFA, the apex global body that governs football. It had said the voluminous objections to the draft constitution by various stakeholders can be taken care of by Justice Rao, who had earlier finalised the constitution of the IOA on the orders of the top court. The bench was hearing a plea related to the finalisation of the constitution of the AIFF after taking note of “clause-by-clause” objections of various stakeholders of football in the country. The apex court has decided to hear the pleas related to IOA and AIFF together.