New Delhi, July 30 (IANS) The Supreme Court Friday allowed Hockey India to go ahead with the election of its executive board and complete it by July 31. It was also allowed to announce the results but restrained from acting in pursuance of the outcome of the election.
A bench of Justice Altmas Kabir and Justice A.K. Patnaik gave the go ahead after staying the operation of the Delhi High Court order which had restrained Hockey India from holding its elections.
Earlier, Hockey India’s elections were scheduled to take place July 28.
The court gave the green signal for the election after it was told that if Hockey India, affiliated to the International Hockey Federation, was not allowed to conduct its election, then Indian hockey would get disqualified from participating in international hockey events.
The contention of Hockey India was supported by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
Delhi High Court stayed the elections of Hockey India after the sports ministry failed to tell the court the legal position about the status of Hockey India and Indian Hockey Federation. The matter got further complicated when Bombay High Court too stayed, by three weeks, the election on a petition by Mumbai Hockey Association.
Hockey India contended before the Supreme Court that after Delhi High Court accepted it as a private body, then it was not subject to the writ jurisdiction of the (High) Court. It said that it was well settled in law that once election process starts, then it could not be interfered with till its conclusion.
The apex court has directed the matter to be listed on Aug 19 for further hearing.
