Supreme Court Entrusts Charge Of Kabbadi Federation To Elected Body; Asks Centre To Ensure Participation Of Indian Team In Asian Championship

The Supreme Court on Thursday (February 6) asked the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to ensure that Indian Kabbadi players are allowed to participate in the Asian Kabbadi Championship to be held in Iran from February 20 to 25.

The Court also requested Justice(Retired) SP Garg, who was appointed by the Delhi High Court as the administrator of the Amateur Kabbadi Federation of India (AKFI), to hand over the charge of the Federation to the governing body said to have been elected in the election held on December 24,  2023, to administer the AKFI. The Court said that it was passing this order considering the urgency of the participation of Indian players in the Senior Asian Kabbadi Championship(Women) 2025 scheduled to be held in Iran from February 20 to February 25. 

A bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice NK Singh passed the order in a writ petition filed by women players Priyanka and Pooja seeking permission to participate in the Asian Kabbadi Championship. Their participation came under a cloud as the AKFI was suspended by the International Kabbadi Federation on the ground that it was not being managed by an elected body.

"On the entrustment of the charge of the AKFI to the elected body, the International Kabbadi Federation shall abide by its assurances/undertaking given in its letter dated February 6, 2025," the Court added in today's order. The Court added this observation after Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta requested it, so that the process for the Indian team's participation could be smoothened. 

Senior Advocate K Parameshwar, for the petitioners, requested the bench to direct the AKFI to make arrangements for the training of the Indian players. "The tournament starts on 20th. Our team is not officially picked yet, although we have a standing team. We want a conditioning camp, we need the team to be placed. Please ask the Committee to take decision within the next two days."

The bench then added in the order, "The Governing Body of the AKFI will take immediate steps for selecting the teams for participation in the above-mentioned championship. The Government of India, through the Ministry of Youth Affairs, will ensure that the Indian teams are allowed to participate in the subject championship."

The Court also clarified that its order to entrust the charge of the Federation to the elected body cannot be seen not an endorsement of the election of the AKFI body and that the issues are left open for adjudication. The Court also lauded the efforts of Justice Garg, saying that he has done a commendable job in bringing transparency to the administration of the AKFI.

The matter will be next considered on March 3.

On February 4, the bench had expressed concerns about the lack of transparency in the administration of sports bodies and framed certain issues, including the need for a CBI investigation, for adjudication. The bench clarified today's interim order does not mean that the issues framed in the February 6 order are not open for adjudication.

Case Title: PRIYANKA & ANR. VERSUS UNION OF INDIA & ORS | WP(c) 93/2015 

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