Delhi High Court on Friday refused to stay Indian Olympic Association (IOA) elections scheduled for December 5. Refusing to stay the election, a division bench of chief justice D Murugesan and justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw decided to hear on December 17 a plea to restrain IOA from holding the polls on the alleged ground that it was not following the national sports code in conducting it.
Advocate Rahul Mehra had sought the stay on the election alleging S Y Quraishi, the chairman of the three-member poll panel, had resigned from the post saying that IOA had failed to follow the stipulated guidelines, so the election should be stayed. The election was scheduled to be held earlier on November 25 but after Quraishis resignation it was postponed to December 5.
Mehra submitted that Quraishi in his resignation letter had said ‘he is quitting the commission because he wants IOA elections to be held under the Sports Code of the Government of India.’
The court earlier had directed the association to hold the election as per the sports code. Mehra, in his application, has also sought the court's directions to the Centre to de-recognise the IOA and create an ad-hoc committee comprising elite and eminent sportspersons and former Olympic medal winners for the conduct of day-to-day affairs till fresh elections.
Advocate Rahul Mehra had sought the stay on the election alleging S Y Quraishi, the chairman of the three-member poll panel, had resigned from the post saying that IOA had failed to follow the stipulated guidelines, so the election should be stayed. The election was scheduled to be held earlier on November 25 but after Quraishis resignation it was postponed to December 5.
Mehra submitted that Quraishi in his resignation letter had said ‘he is quitting the commission because he wants IOA elections to be held under the Sports Code of the Government of India.’
The court earlier had directed the association to hold the election as per the sports code. Mehra, in his application, has also sought the court's directions to the Centre to de-recognise the IOA and create an ad-hoc committee comprising elite and eminent sportspersons and former Olympic medal winners for the conduct of day-to-day affairs till fresh elections.