Court seeks government response on Hockey India’s functioning

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought response from the government and various sports bodies, including Hockey India and the Indian Olympic Association, on a public suit seeking a probe into their functioning.

A division bench of Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw directed Hockey India to file a detailed affidavit with regard to the appointment of observer and returning officer for the body’s election scheduled by Feb 7 and the steps taken for their appointment.

The direction has come on a petition filed by Rahul Mehra who 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 government to ensure that various sports bodies recognised by it function in an accountable and transparent manner for the objective for which they have been created.

The government must withdraw recognition in case the bodies and their chiefs failed to achieve their objectives, besides withdrawing funds and patronage from the organisations, he said.

“Most of these organisations are controlled by persons who have neither the expertise nor any interest in the development and promotion of sports and they are using their positions for -promotion,” Mehra has alleged.