Supreme Court dismisses panel running AIFF, a week after FIFA suspension

The Supreme Court on Monday terminated the Committee of Administrators (CoA), the panel appointed by the apex court last year to run the All India Football Federation (AIFF), a week after the Federation of International Football (FIFA) suspended the AIFF. The SC added that it hopes the termination of CoA will help facilitate the revocation of FIFA's ban on the AIFF. 

The SC's order directed that the day-to-day management of the football body will be looked after by the AIFF administration led by the acting secretary general. The top court also modified the AIFF election process by granting a one-week extension after the central government had proposed deferment of the August 28 polls due to proposed changes in the nomination changes. 

Returning Officers Umesh Sinha and Tapas Bhattacharya appointed by CoA for Football Federation polls be deemed to be appointed by the court, the SC said, added that the voters' list for the elections will comprise the member states — 35+1 associate. 

The SC's order came after FIFA, an international governing body of association football, suspended the AIFF on August 15. The apex court in an order on August 3 had ordered holding the AIFF elections under the aegis of the CoA but FIFA was in the favour of individual members forming the electoral college. 

The AIFF had earlier proposed to the SC that the voters' list should not include players and only consist of representatives of states/UTs member associations of AIFF. 

"The executive committee of the All India Football Federation will consist of 23 members, including six eminent players of which two will be women," the SC in its order stated.