New Delhi, Apr 2 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Wednesday stayed the appointment of Anilkumar Prabhakaran as the secretary general of All India Football Federation on a plea alleging his selection was in violation of the National Sports Code.
Justice Sachin Datta said he would continue with the arguments next week.
The court while hearing a plea filed by Delhi Football Club director Ranjit Bajaj observed there ought to be a stay on Prabhakaran's appointment in the meantime.
"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," the judge said.
Appearing for Bajaj, senior advocate Rahul Mehra and lawyer Shivam Singh sought Prabhakaran's removal from the post and argued he was previously elected as a member of the AIFF executive committee and therefore couldn't be appointed.
The AIFF appointed Prabhakaran, who hails from Kerala, as its secretary general July last.
Bajaj's plea said the sports ministry had expressly barred national sports federations from re-appointing previously elected members of executive committees as nominated individuals to an administrative post.
The Centre's counsel said in terms of its February 2022 letter, it was impermissible for a previously elected office bearer to obtain employment on a paid administrative position of their national sports federation concerned.
In terms of the letter, Prabhakaran, holding an elected post of the executive member, would be wholly barred from taking up the position of paid secretary of AIFF, the counsel added.
The high court had sought responses from the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, AIFF and Prabhakaran on the petition, which said the Centre took action in a similar case at the Table Tennis Federation of India but failed to take a uniform step in the present matter.
The petitioner sought an urgent intervention in the case, alleging a conflict of interest on account of his affiliation with Scoreline Sports.
"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. On August 22, 2022, he was elected as a member of the executive committee of respondent number 1," the petition said.
The plea added his appointment was "bad in law" and contrary to rules laid down in National Sports Code, 2011, and a February 28, 2022 letter issued by the sports ministry.
