AIFF suspension| SC dissolves CoA, Indian football body election put off by a week

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The Supreme Court on August 22 ordered the dissolving of its committee of administrators (CoA) that has been overseeing the day-to-day functioning of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), which was recently suspended by FIFA for “undue influence from third parties”.

The move is being seen as an effort towards overturning the world’s soccer governing body’s decision that bars Indian teams from all international tournaments and has also put a question mark on India hosting the Under-17 women’s world cup in October.

A bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud also put off by a week the election to AIFF to allow for a fresh electoral college and nominations to be filed. The polls were earlier planned for August 28.

The CoA was viewed as third-party participation by FIFA, the Centre told the court on August 22 and requested the committee be dissolved.

As per FIFA, AIFF ought to be governed by an elected body or someone selected by the elected body which would eliminate "third party" interference, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said.

The Centre took up the suspension with the top court, which was hearing a case pertaining to AIFF's administration considering the elections to the body that were to be held in December 2020 were not conducted.

After Praful Patel was removed as AIFF president in May 2022, the court put in place a CoA to take care of the day-to-day affairs of the body and finalise a constitution.

In line with the government's talks with FIFA, Mehta urged the court to dissolve CoA and let its secretary general take over the daily affairs of the body till the election was held.

India’s best-known footballer and former captain of the men's team Baichung Bhutia urged the reforms to go through.

Bhutia, who volunteered to head such a body, said Indian teams would be in a position to qualify for tournaments on merit once reforms were carried through.

Reforms must not be let go of even if it meant sacrificing the hosting rights for the under-17 women's world cup, Bhutia said.

The CoA backed Bhutia and said the members didn’t wish to cling on to their position but the reforms must go through.

The concern at the moment was for the tournament to come to India, the bench said.