Cross 'Court' for Badminton Association of India

It was a fault on Day 1, but it's likely to be one long rally. The hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against the Badminton Association of India (BAI), the country's governing body for the sport, was adjourned on its opening day, as the judge for the case was on leave. Hearing however, will resume next month.

The PIL, which has been filed in the Delhi High Court by former international powerlifter, Major Dr Surendra Poonia, seeks quashing of the BAI's elections, which were held in Lucknow in January 2014. Dr Poonia has alleged that the elections were manipulated, and conducted completely at the behest of current President, Dr Akhilesh Das Gupta. In fact, they were conducted months before the ongoing term of the office bearers was even over. "I've learnt about the state of affairs in badminton from players themselves. But obviously they are not in a position to challenge authorities themselves. So I've taken it upon myself to bell the cat", Major Poonia told NDTV.

The BAI's functioning is arbitrary, and the constitutional changes are invalid, he claims. The association's constitution has been amended in such a way that no outsider can contest for the post of President or General Secretary. The post of the Treasurer, in fact, has been made defunct. In the last four years, bank accounts of the BAI have not been handled by the Treasurer, neither has he signed a single cheque. All of that is being done the President himself.

It's mandatory to have representation from all zones of the country in the BAI set up, but that isn't followed either. Not just that, last year's elections also breached the National Sports Code, as government officers who had served more than three terms, were re-elected.

BAI is under severe criticism for allowing a 49-year old referee, Apinder Sabharwal, and a 46-year old cop, Manmohan Sharma, to represent India at a tournament in Iceland. Though both of them pulled out of the tournament without playing a single match, BAI has palmed things off to the state association now. "We were caught up with Syed Modi Cup in Lucknow, this is the Punjab Badminton Association's responsibility, and they should take the blame for sending overage players, not us. Moreover, both players bore their own expenses, and did not travel at BAI's cost", Dr Akhilesh Das Gupta told NDTV from Lucknow.

The sport's national governing body has promised to look into the matter urgently to avoid similar embarrassment in the future.