Must bring curtain down on issues concerning All India Football Federation: SC

Supreme Court on Thursday said it must bring curtain down on issues plaguing All India Football Federation (AIFF), including objections raised to certain aspects of its draft constitution.

"We must w bring finality...I mean curtain down on issue related to federation (AIFF)," a bench heed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said.

bench, also comprising Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala, asked senior vocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, assisting it as an amicus curiae (friend of court), to have a meeting with counsels of all stakeholders and find out key objections to draft constitution of AIFF.

"We will list it for hearing after hearing of Constitution bench concludes,” bench said.

amicus said everybody will have some kind of objections.

Responding to query of bench as to who is heing AIFF currently after elections, amicus said Kalyan Chaubey, a former goalkeeper from West Bengal, is president of sports body.

"We do t kw how this Chaubey has become President. Mr. (Bhaichung) Bhutia was part of list of 24 eminent sportspersons. This man (Chaubey) was t re. But he has been elected as President,” Sankaranarayanan said.

Chaubey was elected president in elections conducted as per order of top court on September 2, 2022 at Football House here.

Earlier, bench h observed that popular sport of football needs to be taken forward and asked people to give suggestions to amicus curiae on draft constitution for sports national federation, observing that "we are doing anything except football".

On vember 9 last year, bench h asked senior vocate Sankaranarayanan, who is assisting bench as an amicus curiae, to tabulate objections so that draft constitution can be finalised.

Prior to this, top court h directed termination of mandate of a three-member committee of ministrators appointed by it in May last year to man affairs of AIFF.

It h modified its earlier orders to facilitate revocation of suspension which was imposed on AIFF by international football federation FIFA and holding of Under-17 Women's World Cup 2022 in India.

On May 18 last year, bench h appointed panel heed by Justice (retired) Anil R Dave and having former chief election commissioner S Y Qureshi and former Indian football team captain Bhaskar Ganguly, and ousted NCP leer Praful Patel-led manment committee that h exceeded its tenure by over two-and-half years.

However, this came in way of holding of Under-17 Women's World Cup 2022 as elected AIFF body was at helm.

On August 16 last year, FIFA h suspended India for "undue influence from third parties" and said tournament "cant currently be held in India as planned." country, however, later hosted FIFA event from October 11-30, 2022.