Srinagar: Central Government in a desperate move to save itself and Country from further embarrassment owing to FIFA ban on AIFF and moving U-17 Women’s World Cup pit of India filed application in Supreme Court virtually accepting all demands of World Football body.
The Government in its application has virtually accepted all the demands made by FIFA, including ending the tenure of the SC-appointed CoA as well as not allowing individual members in the electoral college.
It, however, said that the ousted Praful Patel-led dispensation should be excluded from the AIFF.
“…this Hon’ble Court may be pleased to … direct that day-to-day management of AIFF shall be looked after by the AIFF administration led by the acting Secretary-General to the exclusion of the earlier elected body and the CoA will have no role in the administration of AIFF from 22.08.2022,” News Agency PTI quoted Goverment’s application.
“… to require the CoA to submit the final draft constitution to this Hon’ble Court by the end of 23.08.2022, and that the mandate of the COA be declared to be over in full from 23.08.2022.”
In its statement, while suspending AIFF, FIFA had said the lifting of the suspension on AIFF will be subject to repealing of CoA’s mandate in full.
FIFA also said that it wants the AIFF administration to “be fully in charge of the AIFF’s daily affairs”.
The world body had said that it wants an “independent electoral committee to be elected by the AIFF general assembly to run the elections of a new executive committee”.
It had also said that the AIFF must hold its elections based on the pre-existing membership of the AIFF” (i.e state associations only without individual members).
After the SC approved the holding of AIFF elections on August 28, the process of filing nomination papers was completed on Saturday.
Seven candidates, including the legendary Bhaichung Bhutia, have filed nomination papers for the president’s post, though the returning officer on Sunday rejected two of them after the proposer and seconder said they have not signed any nomination paper of any candidate.
One of the government’s plea, of not allowing eminent players as individual members in the electoral college, if accepted by the SC may put Bhutia’s candidature under a cloud as he has been proposed and seconded by an eminent player each.
The sports ministry’s move, a day before a crucial hearing of the top court, can be seen as an attempt to salvage the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup, scheduled to be held in October.
With inputs from PTI