The Delhi High Court on Wednesday temporarily halted the appointment of Anilkumar Prabhakaran as the Secretary General of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), following a legal challenge that claims his selection violated the National Sports Code. Justice Sachin Datta presided over the case and announced that the court would continue with further arguments next week.
The petition against Prabhakaran’s appointment was filed by Ranjit Bajaj, director of Delhi Football Club. During the proceedings, Bajaj’s legal representatives, senior advocate Rahul Mehra and lawyer Shivam Singh, argued that Prabhakaran’s previous election as a member of the AIFF executive committee disqualified him from being appointed to an administrative role within the same federation. They contended that the sports ministry’s regulations expressly prohibit such appointments.
Justice Datta, while acknowledging the need for an in-depth examination of the case, opted to issue an interim stay on Prabhakaran’s appointment. “We will continue with the hearing next week, but in the meantime, there has to be a stay. I will pass an interim stay (order). List on April 8 for further arguments in the matter,” he stated.
The AIFF had appointed Prabhakaran, a native of Kerala, as its Secretary General in July of the previous year. However, the petitioner highlighted that the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs’ guidelines, articulated in a February 2022 letter, explicitly bar previously elected office bearers from assuming paid administrative positions within their national sports federations.
The plea further alleged a potential conflict of interest involving Prabhakaran’s affiliation with Scoreline Sports, suggesting that his dual roles could compromise the integrity of his position within AIFF. According to the petition, “He (Prabhakaran) is illegally holding the position of Secretary General of respondent number 1 (AIFF) despite previously having held a position as an elected member of the executive committee.”
The High Court has requested responses from the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, AIFF, and Prabhakaran himself regarding the allegations. The case draws parallels to a similar situation at the Table Tennis Federation of India, where the petitioner claims the government failed to apply consistent standards.
