New Delhi, Nov 27: The Delhi High Court today dismissed an appeal filed by Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) against a trial court order restraining it from taking over the management of Bhopal Hockey Association (BHA). Upholding the orders passed by the subordinate courts, Justice R S Sodhi said the IHF has failed to point out any proposition of law that "would enable the petitioner federation to take over the management and control of the respondent association (BHA) even for an interim period".
In fact the BHA, a body registered under the societies registration act, 1860, had invited IHF to send an observer to oversee its elections.
However, by a letter dated May 15, 2003, the IHF appointed an ad-hoc management committee to look after the affairs of the BHA and ensure "free and fair" elections there.
This was challenged by the BHA in a civil suit filed here on the ground that the two were independent bodies and at the most the IHF could revoke its affiliation and nothing else.
The trial court passed and interim order restraining the IHF from interfering in the affairs of the BHA and the same was upheld by the first appeal court.
The IHF challenged the lower court order before the high court which rejected the same being strange and not supported by any legal provision.
"This, indeed, is a strange case where a mere request to send an observer has been taken to mean that the petitioner federation (IHF) could usurp and manage the internal affairs of respondent association (BHA) which defies all logic,” Justice Sodhi observed. Bureau Report