New Delhi, Apr 27 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Monday allowed the results of the All India Tennis Association (AITA) elections held on September 28, 2024, to stand, but directed that the elected body will function only as an interim arrangement under the supervision of a court-appointed Administrator, former Chief Justice Gita Mittal.
In its order, Justice Mini Pushkarna made it clear that while the outcome of the 2024 elections will not be disturbed at this stage, the executive committee will operate in a limited capacity and remain subject to the oversight of Justice (Retd.) Mittal.
It means that Chintan Parikh, who is from the Gujarat State Association, is the new AITA President while Maharashtra’s Sunder Iyer is General Secretary. Dinesh Arora from Punjab Association is treasurer while KSLTA’s Sunil Yajman is one of the joint secretaries.
“It’s a great moment for tennis in India. All we want is to promote the game in the country and take it to the pinnacle. We want to do a lot for junior tennis as well. While we will work as an interim body for the time being, it still is a huge step forward to create a system through which the Indian tennis ecosystem will benefit,” Iyer told PTI.
The court tasked Justice Mittal with managing the affairs of AITA and ensuring that its functioning is aligned with the National Sports Code and the amended constitution and by-laws by June 30.
As of now AITA has a 25-member Executive Committee but as per the NSG Act, it needs to be a 15-member panel.
She has also been directed to conduct fresh elections within a period of three months after the constitution is aligned with the Sports Act, 2025 and Sports Governance Rules 2026.
Until then, the present office-bearers will continue only to handle routine affairs.
“I totally welcome the judgement of the Hon’ble court. Happy that the long standing impasse has ended and this is a big a step forward for AITA and Indian tennis,” Yajman told PTI, reacting to the development.
“It’s crucial for us to follow the Hon’ble court’s order and work on implementing it without any delay. We all need to come together and work towards settling this matter forever and focus on development of the sport in our country. It’s imperative to move forward positively,” he added.
The court placed restrictions on the interim body, directing that it shall not make any new financial commitments without prior approval of the Administrator. It also mandated that the executive committee must function strictly in consonance with the amended by-laws.
Further, the court directed AITA to provide necessary infrastructure and logistical support to the Administrator, including office space, staff and other facilities required for the discharge of duties.
The Administrator has also been given the liberty to engage additional personnel, with all expenses, including a monthly remuneration of Rs 10 lakh, to be borne by AITA.
The court disposed of the writ petition along with pending applications in terms of the directions issued, noting that certain prayers had become infructuous in view of its findings in a connected matter.
Background ======== The September 2024 elections had been challenged before the High Court by former India players Somdev Devvarman and Purav Raja, who raised concerns over the conduct of polls, eligibility norms and adherence to the Sports Code.
Much before that, the infighting within the AITA had reached a level where the several member states had planned a no-confidence motion against President Anil Jain for misuse of his office but after interference from the ministry, the proposal was withdrawn. PTI APS APS KHS
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