Bombay High Court defers Hockey India elections by 3 weeks

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: The elections to the governing body for hockey in India, Hockey India (HI), continued to face legal barriers. On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court as well as the Bombay HC stayed the elections to the executive body of HI.

In Mumbai, the HC stayed the HI elections for three weeks on a petition filed by Mumbai Hockey Association (MHA). The HC was informed that the Delhi HC had also stayed the elections scheduled on Wednesday as the Central government did not comply with its earlier May 2010 order.

The Delhi HC expressed its dissatisfaction against the Centre for non-compliance of its order. Justice S Muralidhar noted that “this court is left with no option but to stay the election process till further orders” after being informed by the government it was unable to clarify the legal position as enunciated by HC earlier. Instead, the government argued that it wanted to recognise both HI and KPS Gill-led Indian Hockey Federation.

HC viewed government’s stand as a breach of the court’s order and directed the government to issue a fresh letter clarifying the legal status. The government, however, refused maintaining the stand that both the HI and the IHF are recognised bodies and indicated it was willing to challenge the single judge’s order by appealing before a division bench.

Joint Secretary (sports) appeared before the court and maintained that the HI is also a government recognised body.

HC then made it clear that the elections in the HI will not be allowed as long as the confusion persists. HC also slammed authorities for not complying with its order despite the assurance given by the counsels on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, HC had said the government should not associate itself with the HI elections as it is a “private body”.

Advocate Hitesh Jain, who represents HI, said later that HI will be moving the Supreme Court against the stay on Thursday.

In Mumbai, MHA had moved the HC afresh with the grievance that HI, despite directions from the court, had not considered its representation to be recognised in the state.

Interestingly, four different hockey associations had dragged HI to court in different high courts. While Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh High Courts did not grant any stay on the elections, Bombay and Delhi did.

The sticky mess

April 2008: IHF is dissolved by IOA in the aftermath of the country’s failure to qualify for the Beijing Olympics. Disaffiliation by IOA and derecognition by the sports ministry follows. An ad-hoc body formed by the IOA takes over. KPS Gill goes to court.

June 2009: Hockey India formally comes into existence; Ashok Kumar Mattoo appointed interim president. FIH sets October deadline for elections but it is postponed to December. This deadline too is not met as member associations cry foul on affiliation front. New date for election (January 29) is announced.

January 2010: Pay dispute and player unrest rock Hockey India. Mattoo resigns as HI chief. Elections are postponed to February 7 as formalities are not completed.

February 2010: Elections are postponed for the 3rd time after the Jaipur HC stays the minutes of a meeting where affiliations were granted to various units. After repeatedly threatening to take the Feb-March World Cup away from the country, FIH president Leandro Negre reassures India.

March 2010: Negre tells HI that FIH will not hesitate to disaffiliate India if it does not have an elected body by end of May.

May 2010: Delhi HC restores pre-April 2008 status to IHF; quashes centre’s decision to de-recognise IHF.

June 2010: May deadline passes. HI secretary general Narendra Batra announces July 28 as the new date for elections.

July 27, 2010: Delhi HC says IHF is the only recognised body.