All India Karate Federation moves HC to seek govt recognition

City-based All India Karate-Do Federation has filed a petition in the Bombay High Court seeking a direction to the Centre and Indian Olympic Association to issue a letter of recognition, saying it is the only national sports federation for Karate in the country.
The petitioner also prayed that the court may restrain the Centre and the IOA from recognising any person or organisation other than the governing body of the All India Karate-Do Federation (AIKF) to represent the organisation.
The Union government, through its lawyers Parag Vyas and S S Kanetkar, informed a bench headed by Justice S F Vajifdar, on October 29 that so far it had not recognised any person or organisation other than the petitioner for Karate sport.

In view of the stand taken by the Centre, the court felt that it was not necessary to grant the interim reliefs as sought by the petitioners.
The counsel for petitioner, Mayur Khandeparkar, relied upon a certificate dated July 15, 1993, issued by the Ministry of Human Resource Development stating that for each sport, the government had recognised one federation for promotion of that sport at the national/international level.
The certificate stated that the petitioner has been recognised by the Union government since June 15, 1987, as the said Federation. The certificate also said it was advisable to check the latest position on recognition from the department as the continuation of recognition is subject to following the government guidelines by all sports federations.

Khandeparkar also cited a communication dated September 7, 1999, issued by the World Karate Federation (recognised by the International Olympic Committee), addressed to the general secretary of the petitioner confirming that it was the only recognised federation from India.
The communication further said the petitioner was also a member of Asian University of Karate-Do organisations.