The Delhi High Court has appointed retired Justice Pankaj Naqvi as the Administrator of the Judo Federation of India. Justice Pankaj Naqvi is a former Judge of the Allahabad High Court.

The Single Bench of Justice Yashwant Varma took this decision on a batch of writ petitions highlighting a serious dispute among the officer bearers of the Judo Federation of India.

The writ petitions were filed by Judo Associations of different states including Bombay, Haryana and Karnataka. It was admitted before the Court that the term of the erstwhile Executive Body came to an end and that the office bearers were consequently been rendered functus officio. Advocates for respective parties had mooted the suggestion for an Administrator to be appointed to take over the affairs of the Federation, conduct and look after its day-to-day affairs so that the interest of athletes, was not adversely impacted.

Petitioners placed reliance on the order passed by the Supreme Court in All India Football Federation vs. Rahul Mehra where a Committee of Administrators was appointed to look after the affairs of that Federation.

Therefore, the petitioners consented to the appointment of an Administrator who would be charged with undertaking a review of the constitution of the Federation, suggest amendments required to bring it in line with the National Sports Code and the Model Guidelines, take over the day to day administration of the Federation and to further initiate preparatory steps for holding of elections for the constitution of the Executive Committee.

In the light of the consent, the court while appointing Justice Pankaj Naqvi as the Administrator of the Judo Federation of India, laid down the following directions:

• The erstwhile Committee shall hand over charge to the Administrator who shall administer the day-to-day affairs of the Federation

• The erstwhile President, General Secretary and Treasurer shall extend all cooperation to the Administrator in conducting the affairs of the Federation in the interim. The Administrator shall be authorized to make appropriate arrangements for the governance of the Federation until elections are held

• The Administrator shall act as the signing authority for operation of all bank accounts of the Federation

• All pleadings, affidavits on behalf of the Federation in any litigation shall be submitted only with the prior approval of the Administrator through a competent person to be identified by him.

• The Administrator shall review the existing constitution of the Federation and prepare a draft amended constitution in conformity with the National Sports Code and the Model Guidelines. The draft constitution shall be placed before Delhi HC for approval.

• The Administrator may submit its first interim report within a period of six weeks.

• The Administrator shall undertake steps to facilitate the holding of elections and ultimately handing over the affairs of the Federation to a democratically elected body

• No further steps shall be taken by the erstwhile office bearers of the Federation to hold elections till the time the Administrator reviews the status of membership of all constituents of the Federation and submits a report to the Court.

• Any steps taken by the erstwhile management of the Federation in regard to elections and which forms subject matter of challenge in these writ petitions shall also not be proceeded with subject to further orders of the Court.

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Delhi High CourtJustice Yashwant VarmaWrit Petition

Ashish Shaji