The Delhi High Court has appointed former chief election commissioner (CEC) S Y Quraishi to look into the functioning of the Archery Association of India (AAI), which was de-recognised by the government in 2012, for the next four months.
A bench of justices S Ravindra Bhat and Najmi Waziri yesterday appointed Quraishi, who has also served as the secretary in the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, as the administrator-cum-returning officer to look into the affairs of the AAI.
It asked Quraishi to resolve the issue of disaffiliation of such members or units of the AAI as on December 15, 2016, within a month by giving them a two weeks' notice and if their membership could be regularised in terms of the unamended constitution of the AAI, to regularise it.
Besides, the court directed holding of elections for the posts of office-bearers of the AAI, who would amend the constitution of the association in accordance with the National Sports Development Code (NSDC).
Thereafter, fresh elections would again be held as per the NSDC, it said, adding that the entire exercise be carried out within four months.
The court's directions came on lawyer Rahul Mehra's plea to appoint an administrator for compliance of its December, 2016 order to hold elections for the various posts of the AAI.
The petitioner had also sought a stay on the general council meeting of the AAI on March 15.
Allowing the plea, the bench said, the meeting called by the present dispensation, "purporting to represent the AAI", and the "so-called" resolutions adopted on the said date were "improper and irregular".
It added that several states were not represented at the general council meeting.
"Hence, it cannot be said that the aforesaid meeting of March 15, 2017 was in conformity with the court's order and in terms of the constitution of the association," it observed.
The bench, in its 19-page verdict, also said that its earlier orders of September and October, 2012, which had directed that the elections be held in accordance with the NSDC, were disregarded.
"The AAI is being run by people who evidently do not have any authority since the elections were not held on time," it observed.
The bench also made it clear that till the elections were held and the results declared, in conformity with the NSDC and earlier directions of the court, the AAI should not make any new financial commitment without the prior approval of the administrator.
"The routine expenses too shall be defrayed, with the due prior approval of the administrator," it added.
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