HC refuses to interfere with IOA election tomorrow

The Delhi High Court today refused to interfere with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) elections scheduled tomorrow.
A bench of Justices S Ravindra Bhat and Justice Najmi Waziri directed the association not to violate the National Sports Code during the electoral process.
The court's interim order came on advocate and well-known sports activist Rahul Mehra's application seeking an interim stay on the IOA election on the ground that the polls were being held in violation of the sports code.
The bench also clarified that the election process and its result will be subject to the final outcome of the application pending before this court.

It also issued notice to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and IOA asking them to file their responses within four weeks of the application.
The counsel has alleged that wrong people, who are not entitled, were contesting the election.

While asking for fair elections and other measures such as overhauling of the sports code and bringing about new law and reforms, the advocate has sought direction to restrain IOA from conducting elections of its office bearers and members to the Executive Council as proposed in its Annual General Meeting.
IOA is a body responsible for selecting athletes to represent India at the Olympic Games, Asian Games and other international athletic meets and for managing the Indian teams at the events.

Elections will be held for the posts of president, secretary-general, treasurer and senior vice president, eight vice presidents, six joint secretaries, 10 other Executive Council members and one representative for the Athlete Commission.
The elections will be held through secret ballot and the results declared the same day.