Modified tenure from May 1: Govt. to HC

New Delhi: The Centre today informed the Delhi High Court that the government has implemented the modified guidelines fixing the tenure of the members of all sports federations from May 1 this year.

Appearing for Ministry of Sports, Additional Solicitor General A S Chandhiok submitted before the bench of Acting Chief Justice Madan B Lokur that the Centre has taken a decision to implement the modified guidelines of 1975 pertaining to fixing the tenure of all the members including Presidents or Chairpersons of all the recognised national sports federations. He also submitted that 1975 guidelines and its clause relating to the tenure of the president, secretary and the treasurer was modified in 2001 but the regulation was kept in abeyance by way of "executive instructions". The senior law officer said that the modified guidelines had been implemented since May 1, 2010. Meanwhile, Counsel Prashant Bhushan on behalf of petitioner advocate Rahul Mehra raised another issue, saying there has to be an independent authority to decide the members of the electoral college while conducting the elections for the members. Bhushan also sought court`s direction to all the sports bodies for strict compliance of modified guidelines. The bench also comprising Justice Mukta Gupta sought an affidavit from the Centre about the implementation of the modified guidelines and also a copy of it by May 19. Earlier, the court sought an explanation from the Centre for its failure to comply with the guidelines framed for the election of sports bodies including Hockey India. The petition had alleged the elections in various sports bodies, including Hockey India are held without following the guidelines, as a result of which the candidates contest the election for more than two terms -- which was fixed under the guidelines -- and retain the post for several years. The Sports Ministry has modified a 1975 regulation that means Indian Olympic Association chief Suresh Kalmadi and several NSF chiefs including V K Malhotra (archery), Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa (cycling), VK Verma (badminton), captain Satish K Sharma (aero club) and BS Adityan (volleyball) cannot seek a re-election after their present term expires. The original 1975 regulation introduced by the Indira Gandhi government had capped the tenure of the President, the Secretary and the Treasurer at not more than two consecutive terms of four years each. The modified clause caps the tenure of the president of an NSF, including IOA, to 12 years. The row between the government and sports federation bosses over tenure restrictions intensified yesterday with the IOA warning that attempts to erode their autonomy might invite a ban on India but Sports Minister M S Gill showed no signs of piping down. PTI