Supreme Court To Hear Plea As India's Olympic Body Adopts Draft Constitution

The Supreme Court on Friday said it will hear on December 7 the objections and other issues pertaining to the draft constitution of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), which was adopted at its Special General Body Meeting. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice Hima Kohli, however, refused urgent hearing on an interim plea which alleged some unauthorised changes in the draft constitution of the sports body.

“Your objections will be heard on December 7. You point it out on that day,” the bench said.

The IOA on Thursday adopted its draft constitution framed under the supervision of the Supreme Court and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) but several members said they were forced into doing it after the top court made it mandatory.

IOA secretary general Rajeev Mehta later told the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that some of the adopted provisions of its draft constitution were in "stark variation" from what was agreed upon in a joint meeting in Switzerland in September.

The IOC had in September given a final warning to the IOA to hold elections by December or face suspension During the IOA's Special General Body Meeting, some members had raised objections to at least half a dozen amendments contained in the draft constitution, and said "the democratic rights of the General Body have been completely taken away".

Faced with the threat of suspension from the IOC if elections are not held by December coupled with the directives of the Supreme Court, the IOA had no other option but to bring the changes to its constitution.

The draft constitution was prepared by the SC-appointed retired top court judge L Nageswara Rao and the IOC has already given its approval to it.

The SC has approved holding of IOA elections on December 10.