HC seeks response from Hockey India over officials’ appointment

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought response from Centre and various sports bodies, including Hockey India and Indian Olympic

Association, on a PIL seeking a probe into their functioning.

A division bench of Chief Justice A P Shah and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw also directed the Hockey India to file a detail affidavit with regard to the appointment of observer and returning officer for the bodies’ election scheduled for February 7.

The bench asked the counsel for Hockey India to file its affidavit within a week giving details about steps taken by them so far for the appointment of these officers for the upcoming election.

The Court also directed various other sports bodies, including Sports Authority of India to file their response within one month.

The direction has come on a PIL filed by one Rahul Mehra which said various sports bodies cannot function as private organisations without any accountability or obligations to the people of the country.

Citing a list of 13 sports bodies, Mehra had sought a direction to the Centre to ensure various sports bodies recognised by the government function in an accountable and transparent manner for the objects for which they have been created.

Butt said he was more disappointed with the fact that although the Indian Sports Minister M S gill spoke to him after yesterday’s IPL auction episode, IPL commissioner Lalit Modi was still not responding to his calls.

Butt reiterated that Pakistan was keen to resume bilateral cricketing ties with India, even at neutral venues but insisted after yesterday’s incident it would now consult the government on everything involving the neigouring nation.

“Obviously everyone feels disappointed at the fact that none of our world class players were thought worthy of drawing a bid at the auction, no one is willing to accept this at all,” he said.

Butt said he would be meeting with government officials soon to discuss the issue and finalise a future strategy.

Director general of PCB, Javed Miandad said that the board should take up the issue with the ICC.

“There is a need to push the ICC to start supervising and controlling these private Twenty20 tournaments. If the ICC is in control it would atleast ensure equal representation to all member countries and no one could mistreat any player,” he said.

Miandad said he had warned before hand that the mushrooming of the IPL would lead to problems in international cricket.

“And these problems will continue to grow because too much money is also changing the way cricketers are planning their careers,” he said.