By Sourit Sanyal
The AIFF is all set to hold presidential elections as the Supreme Court on Monday scrapped the Committee of Administrators (CoA) that took interim charge of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) following the removal of Praful Patel as AIFF president.
This comes as a significant development after FIFA suspended the AIFF citing "third-party influence" that violates the FIFA statutes. The apex court in its latest order directed AIFF Secretary General Sunando Dhar to take duties on the national football body's daily affairs.
How will this affect AIFF and what does the football body's future look like?
AIFF Presidential Election Soon
Even as the Supreme Court disbanded the CoA, it also directed Dhar to take the helm of the national football body's day-to-day affairs. With this, the AIFF presidential election has been postponed by a week. The court also appointed Umesh Sinha and Tapas Bhattacharya as returning officers.
The aim of the AIFF would now be to ensure that it meets all the mandates of not only FIFA and AFC, but also the National Sports Code.
The AIFF Executive Committee should now comprise 23 members, including six eminent players - four men and two women. The remaining 17 members include the AIFF president, vice-president and treasurer, who will be elected by the electoral college.
Also Read: SC Scraps Panel Running India Football Body A Week After FIFA Ban
AIFF earlier released a list of the electoral college that comprised 69 authorised representatives. This consisted of 36 eminent players - 23 men and 12 women players. This includes the likes of former India men's team captains I.M. Vijayan and Bhaichung Bhutia.
Bhutia previously filed an intervention petition in the Supreme Court in relation to the AIFF hearing. He also extended his support for the new constitution drafted by the CoA, saying that it is "more sensitive about serving and former players, thinking in their interest."
On August 21, returning officer Umesh Sinha rejected the nomination papers of two presidential candidates, namely - Valanka Alemao and Manvendra Singh after their respective seconders - Amit Khemani and Harjinder Singh said that the candidates did not sign any nomination paper for any candidate.
Along with this, former captain Bhaichung Bhutia, former goalkeeper Kalyan Chaubey, Football Delhi president Shaji Prabhakaran, Karnataka association chief N.A. Haris, IFA head and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee's brother Ajit Banerjee were the other candidates aspiring for the AIFF president's chair.
AIFF aims to conduct the presidential elections on August 28 at the AIFF headquarters in Dwarka, New Delhi followed by voting for the post of vice-president and treasurer. The returning officer shall count the votes and declare the results either on August 28 or on August 29.
Also Read: Why FIFA Suspended AIFF, And What It Means For Indian Football
What Are The Supreme Court's Latest Orders
The CoA, consisting of former Supreme Court judge Anil R. Dave, former Chief Election Commissioner SY Qureshi and the former captain of India's men's football team Bhaskar Ganguly were earlier appointed by the Supreme Court to take charge of the AIFF for interim duties.
The CoA was tasked to conduct fresh elections and draft a new AIFF constitution that goes along with India's National Sports Code and the FIFA Statues. The constitution draft was supposed to be presented to delegations of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and FIFA.
Also Read:FIFA Bans India's AIFF: Timeline Of How The Events Took Place
But internal troubles within the CoA prolonged the issue with FIFA ultimately suspending AIFF on August 15 with immediate effect. This raised major concern as Indian football was stripped of various privileges, the most significant one being losing the hosting rights of the upcoming FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup, scheduled to take place in India from October 2022.
On August 22, the Supreme Court bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud dissolved the CoA with immediate effect with the aim to facilitate the revocation of FIFA's suspension of the AIFF and ensure that India can host the coveted women's tournament. The Supreme Court's ruling also aimed at Indian footballers and clubs' participation in international matches does not face hindrance.
