The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has taken its case to the Delhi High Court, challenging an earlier decision that invalidated the formation of an ad-hoc committee designated to oversee the Bihar Olympic Association’s affairs. On Friday, Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela issued a notice to the state body, marking the beginning of a legal review of the single judge’s ruling.
The controversy stems from a February 24 judgment by a single judge, who ruled against the ad-hoc committee’s constitution, asserting that the Bihar Olympic Association was not adequately consulted nor provided an opportunity to review the material basis for the decision. This ruling required the state body to conduct its elections within three months.
During the hearing, counsel for the IOA requested additional time to consider whether to restart the entire process, including the formation of a one-member fact-finding committee, from scratch. The court has granted this request, postponing the matter to allow the IOA’s counsel sufficient time to gather and present the necessary instructions.
The court has also directed Neha Singh, the advocate representing the Bihar Olympic Association, to seek instructions regarding the IOA’s proposal to potentially reinitiate the process.
The Bihar Olympic Association had contested the IOA’s decisions, arguing that the appointment of the fact-finding panel and subsequent formation of the ad-hoc committee were unilateral actions by the IOA president, lacking legal justification and transparency. They claimed that these steps were taken without proper notification or an opportunity to address the complaints lodged against them.
