The National Sports Development Code provides that a person, who has been the president of a sports body for 12 years (one term lasts four years) or has turned 70, will not be able to contest again.
Kalmadi, 68, who has been at the helm of IOA affairs for over last 18 years, cannot contest if the sports body follows the code in the election for its office bearers, scheduled to be held in October-November this year.
"The Indian Olympic Association is to hold the elections observing the National Sports Development Code," said a bench of Acting Chief Justice A K Sikri and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw.
The court's order came on a PIL by lawyer Rahul Mehra, who sought judicial intervention to rid the sports bodies of the country of various alleged maladies.
During the hearing, Mehra said the polls for various posts of IOA is likely to be held in October this year and there was every likelihood that administrators like Kalmadi may flout the code to get re-elected.
The court, which was hearing a batch of applications filed by lawyer Rahul Mehra on the issue, has now fixed the matter for hearing on October 15.
On another plea, alleging irregularities in the election for the office bearers of Athletics Federation of India (AFI) on April 14, the court asked the Union Sports ministry to take a "reasoned" decision within six weeks after considering the submissions of the lawyer and the AFI. (More)
