The Supreme Court on Friday brought an end to the long-drawn legal tussle over the All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) draft constitution.
A bench of Justice Sri Narasimha and Justice A S Chandurkar cleared the draft with minor tweaks, while directing the Kalyan Chaubey-led executive committee to adopt it at a special general body meeting within four weeks.
The ruling means no fresh elections will be held, a move vital for Indian football since a mid-term poll could have triggered FIFA’s wrath and another suspension for “third-party interference.”
By allowing the Chaubey committee to complete its term, the court has removed the immediate threat of a ban. FIFA has already recognised the current executive as the legitimate authority, and had set an October 30 deadline to finalise the draft constitution.
In 2022, India faced a FIFA ban for similar interference. A repeat would have dealt a severe blow to the sport’s growth in the country.
The onus is now on AIFF to meet FIFA’s deadline and adopt the constitution without delay.