Narinder Batra Removed As IOA Chief After Delhi High Court Strikes Down Life Member Post In Hockey India

Veteran sports administrator Narinder Batra was on Wednesday removed as IOA President after the Delhi High Court struck down the position of 'Life Member' in Hockey India, courtesy which he had contested and won the apex body elections back in 2017. Indian Olympic Association (IOA) senior vice president Anil Khanna took over as acting chief. Batra had filed his nomination for the IOA president's post as a representative (Life Member) of Hockey India.

The Delhi HC ruled that the position of Life Member and Life President were "illegal" since they were not in consonance with the National Sports Code and installed a three-member Committee of Administrators (CoA) to run the day-to-day affairs of Hockey India.

The court ruling came while hearing a petition of former India hockey player and a member of the 1975 World Cup-winning team, Aslam Sher Khan, who had challenged Batra's appointment as life member of Hockey India.

"...the administrative setup of R-2 (Hockey India) is, erroneously or illegally constituted because of the Life President and Life Members," the HC bench of Justices Najmi Wajiri and Swarana Kanta Sharma said in its order.

"The Government of India cannot grant recognition to a NSF whose constitution is not in consonance with the Sports Code. The posts of Life President, Life Member in the NSF are illegal so is the post of CEO in the Managing Committee. These posts are struck-down." Hours after the High Court ruling, IOA issued a statement saying Khanna is now the acting chief of the body.

"....Hence by way of this judgment, Mr. Batra has also been removed from the post of President of the Indian Olympic Association. With the removal of Mr. Batra from Indian Olympic Association, the Acting President of Indian