High court asks IOA to follow code in next poll

New Delhi, Sep 13 (IANS): The Delhi High Court Thursday directed the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to follow the sports code of the government of India for its next elections, scheduled for October or November this year, and noted Suresh Kalmadi is ineligible to be its president.

According to the National Sports Development Code of India, 2011, the president of IOA cannot hold the position for more than 12 years, but Suresh Kalmadi has been holding the post for around 18 years.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice A.K. Sikri and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw said that elections of the IOA this year must be conducted as per the sports code of the government.

Under the code, the president, secretary and treasurer of any recognised national sports federation, including the IOA, shall cease to hold the post on attaining the age of 70 years.

The code also lays down that the secretary and the treasurer may serve a maximum of two successive terms of four years each.

Two other IOA office bearers, V.K. Verma and Lalit Bhanot have completed eight years in service.

The court’s directions came on a plea filed by advocate Rahul Mehra who sought fresh elections of the office bearers of the IOA and compliance with the National Sports Development Code of India, 2011.

The bench had earlier remarked: “As per the guidelines, he (Kalmadi) is not eligible to be president of IOA. He is not eligible to hold the post, so why should he want to continue as president?”