New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday, in an ad hoc arrangement to allow player participation in the senior Asian Kabaddi championship-2025 starting February 20 in Iran, asked the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India (AKFI) administrator former judge SP Garg to hand over charge to its elected governing body.
A bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice N Kotiswar Singh, while taking note of the “commendable job” of Garg, directed that the needful be done on or before February 11, 2025.
What did the apex court say?
“Owing to the urgency regarding participation of Indian players in the senior Asian Kabaddi championship-2025 scheduled to be held in Iran from February 20 to 25, we request Justice (retd) S P Garg, who has been appointed as administrator of National Kabaddi Federation of India, to hand over the charge of federation to the governing body said to have been elected on December 24, 2023,” the bench said.
Entrustment of charge to elected body does not mean that this court has recognised elected body of the federation: Apex Court
The bench, however, made it clear that “the entrustment of charge to the elected body does not mean that this court has recognised the elected body of the National Kabaddi Federation of India or that the issues raised in the February 4, 2025 order won’t require to be taken to the logical conclusion,”
What did the apex court say on February 4?
The top court had on February 4 taken cognisance of the offensive language used by the purported and so-called president of the Asian Federation and had said that strong measures were required to infuse purity, fairness, autonomy and independence in the election process.
The bench directed that once the charge was handed over to the elected body, the International Kabaddi Federation should abide by the undertaking given by its letter dated February 6.
“The governing body of the federation will take all necessary steps to select the teams for participation in the championship. The government of India and ministry of sports will ensure that the Indian teams are allowed to participate in the scheduled championship,” the bench said.
What did the Centre submit?
Solicitor general Tushar Mehta, who represented the Centre, submitted that it interacted with the International Kabaddi federation and received a letter on the premise that the elected body would be in place.
“There are some issues with regard to this International Kabaddi Federation also. So, without prejudice to those issues, which we would like to examine. But for the time being this ad hoc arrangement can be resorted to with the idea that the participating players are not deprived of the opportunity,” the bench said, news agency PTI reported.
Apex court was hearing plea moved by women players
The apex court was hearing a plea by two national Kabaddi players – Priyanka and Pooja – seeking direction to AKFI, which has been unaffiliated by the International Kabaddi Federation, for sending them to Asian Kabaddi Championship. The women players moved the apex court seeking a direction to the Centre to take steps for restoring the affiliation of AKFI.
